Fortuitously, I finished a first draft of my eighth novel today, so I'm giving myself the usual rest of the week off. Typically I try to ease off on myself in the weeks before and after the 25th and charge into the New Year refrfreshed.
“Let’s Talk Holiday Distractions”. For us, we try to use all the parties and get togethers as inspiration. Conversations with friends and family and strangers become food for scenes and dialogue. It’s a time of year where conversations tend to go to deeper places. And let’s face it, alcohol as social lubricant means we hear things we might not otherwise. 😉Each night we do a brain dump and carve out new parts of different characters’ identities, beliefs, and behaviors based on things we have heard, observed and learned.
Oh wow! You are taking me back! I had completely forgotten until reading your comment, but I did a podcast episode discussing this exact thing -- how to tune into the family gatherings for all the depths of inspiration they offer. Thank you so much for the reminder!
November and December are pretty busy for me, and since there are social holidays and I'm an introvert, writing slows down or flat out stops because I don't have the mental energy to spare. I'm always happy when January 1st rolls around.
Yes. This is me. It is very difficult for me to show up to my writing and even writing community events once all the family affairs begin! The social holiday energy expense is high! I love that you know this about yourself and give yourself the space to wait out until New Years!
How I balance it is that I have me, my mom, my dad. Period. And we do all the cooking hubbaloo on Thanksgiving. We do a super nice brunch on Christmas morning, but it’s nothing major.
The year we decided to suffice with grilling drummies to add to the normal egg bake & cheesy taters, and only do one major holiday meal instead of Christmas Eve dinner and breakfast the next morning...well, this happened on Covid. Through the next few weeks, each of us separately had the same conversation with each family member: “Gosh, I feel like I should feel kinda guilty for having enjoyed the non-hubbaloo holiday as much as I did. But I don’t!” 😝
Since not one of us felt bad about it, it’s become official. Low key Christmas with our favorite movies, nice easy food, and each other. That’s it. It’s one of the best gifts we’ve ever given ourselves and each other, and we keep on givin’ it every year.
True, it means other things. But my nervous system and personality never dealt well with the big holiday frenzy, especially Christmas with my aunt & uncle’s huge family or the overcrowded, standing-room-only church with a too-full cry-room. It was always Christmas Eve dinner and a few homemade presents with the 3 of us that was my holiday paradise. So I will blessedly be able to write to my heart’s content.
Wishing any of you who are bad-stressed by the hubbaloo a bit of our peace and silent nights. For y’all who are aching and gutted because your holiday nights are too silent, I wish upon a star for a quicker passing of your pain. For you humbuggers, Happy Grinchmas! For those of you who have totally-worth-it-wahooo-stress, I lift a glass of eggnog while lurking in the wallflower shadows, and live vicariously through your enjoyment of the hubbaloo. May all your pens (keyboards) flow easily, or your minds be at ease with the break!
Thanks so much Alexx. Love to hear about your family's coming together in their love of low key togetherness. Pretty awesome. I am blessed that the trio under my roof typically runs that way throughout the year and we are recharged by seeing and celebrating the extended family at these times of year, but it definitely steals chunks of creative energy for me. Like the fellow Fictionista above, I, too, feel a bit of relief when the new year rolls around. I thrive in my routine.
Mmmmm...nice. This enjoyment of the extended family is definitely one of the "other things" that we don't get to have since we don't travel up to Minnesota in the depths of winter or head to either of the coasts to see them. I'm so glad that seeing yours recharges you!!! That is the greatest holiday gift!
Fortuitously, I finished a first draft of my eighth novel today, so I'm giving myself the usual rest of the week off. Typically I try to ease off on myself in the weeks before and after the 25th and charge into the New Year refrfreshed.
er, refreshed . .
Congratulations on your completed draft! Enjoy the very well deserved rest!
“Let’s Talk Holiday Distractions”. For us, we try to use all the parties and get togethers as inspiration. Conversations with friends and family and strangers become food for scenes and dialogue. It’s a time of year where conversations tend to go to deeper places. And let’s face it, alcohol as social lubricant means we hear things we might not otherwise. 😉Each night we do a brain dump and carve out new parts of different characters’ identities, beliefs, and behaviors based on things we have heard, observed and learned.
Oh wow! You are taking me back! I had completely forgotten until reading your comment, but I did a podcast episode discussing this exact thing -- how to tune into the family gatherings for all the depths of inspiration they offer. Thank you so much for the reminder!
November and December are pretty busy for me, and since there are social holidays and I'm an introvert, writing slows down or flat out stops because I don't have the mental energy to spare. I'm always happy when January 1st rolls around.
Yes. This is me. It is very difficult for me to show up to my writing and even writing community events once all the family affairs begin! The social holiday energy expense is high! I love that you know this about yourself and give yourself the space to wait out until New Years!
How I balance it is that I have me, my mom, my dad. Period. And we do all the cooking hubbaloo on Thanksgiving. We do a super nice brunch on Christmas morning, but it’s nothing major.
The year we decided to suffice with grilling drummies to add to the normal egg bake & cheesy taters, and only do one major holiday meal instead of Christmas Eve dinner and breakfast the next morning...well, this happened on Covid. Through the next few weeks, each of us separately had the same conversation with each family member: “Gosh, I feel like I should feel kinda guilty for having enjoyed the non-hubbaloo holiday as much as I did. But I don’t!” 😝
Since not one of us felt bad about it, it’s become official. Low key Christmas with our favorite movies, nice easy food, and each other. That’s it. It’s one of the best gifts we’ve ever given ourselves and each other, and we keep on givin’ it every year.
True, it means other things. But my nervous system and personality never dealt well with the big holiday frenzy, especially Christmas with my aunt & uncle’s huge family or the overcrowded, standing-room-only church with a too-full cry-room. It was always Christmas Eve dinner and a few homemade presents with the 3 of us that was my holiday paradise. So I will blessedly be able to write to my heart’s content.
Wishing any of you who are bad-stressed by the hubbaloo a bit of our peace and silent nights. For y’all who are aching and gutted because your holiday nights are too silent, I wish upon a star for a quicker passing of your pain. For you humbuggers, Happy Grinchmas! For those of you who have totally-worth-it-wahooo-stress, I lift a glass of eggnog while lurking in the wallflower shadows, and live vicariously through your enjoyment of the hubbaloo. May all your pens (keyboards) flow easily, or your minds be at ease with the break!
🌟❄️☃️🔥
Thanks so much Alexx. Love to hear about your family's coming together in their love of low key togetherness. Pretty awesome. I am blessed that the trio under my roof typically runs that way throughout the year and we are recharged by seeing and celebrating the extended family at these times of year, but it definitely steals chunks of creative energy for me. Like the fellow Fictionista above, I, too, feel a bit of relief when the new year rolls around. I thrive in my routine.
Mmmmm...nice. This enjoyment of the extended family is definitely one of the "other things" that we don't get to have since we don't travel up to Minnesota in the depths of winter or head to either of the coasts to see them. I'm so glad that seeing yours recharges you!!! That is the greatest holiday gift!