Hallmark Scenes

The last time I decorated Christmas cookies with the boys they were three & five.  (They’re now seven & nine.)

As I planned the festivities...In my mind…Christmas music would be playing. 🎼

The first snow would be falling outside the window...You know, the light & fluffy kind...the pretty kind.  

The boys would be gleefully sprinkling sprinkles.

Perhaps one would playfully put frosting on the nose of the other.  

Perhaps my husband would be wrapping presents in the background.  Not sure where “in the background” was, but I suspect he was wrapping something somewhere in the mix. 🎁

Basically a Hallmark scene.   

Instead...In reality...I was shifting stacks of mail & the boys’ school papers to the counter while  repeatedly announcing, “Time to make cookies, boys! It will be fun!” as they announced their desire to continue playing with Legos instead.   

It was probably sleeting outside.  

I vaguely remember some crying & “Mommy!  He won’t give me the sprinkles!” somewhere in the mix.  

And I clearly remember saying, “No licking anything!  Go wash your hands again!” several times.  

Perhaps not an age appropriate event for anyone with a hand washing obsession...especially given the intent was to wrap & give some as gifts.  Really?    

Anyway, I most clearly remember Matt hesitantly asking...after one of my many sighs…”I guess...What did you expect exactly?”

Which made me realize the ridiculousness of my expectations.  “A Hallmark movie scene?”  

At what point in my life has anything been Hallmark movie-like?  

My husband isn’t a prince, & I’m certainly not a princess.  

Our house is a farmhouse built in the 1890s & has never been the location for a Pottery Barn photo shoot.  

If anything, Christmases are more National Lampoons-like for us than anything.  Although neither of us has a cousin Eddie nor do we have any relatives with a camper...unfortunately.  

Disappointment due to unrealistic expectations wasn’t new to me...especially when it came to traditions I hoped to create with the boys.  

But for some reason, that particular event is the one that still comes to mind when I remind myself the real traditions we create are perfect...For us.

I don’t hate baking, but it’s certainly not the first thing that comes to mind when I consider things I enjoy.

Even though consuming baked goods is.

So for the last few years, we haven’t decorated cookies!  I realized it didn’t need to be one of our traditions.  

This year, however, Miles asked if we could decorate cookies, & I said yes. 

So cookie baking is on the agenda for sometime this week.  

My expectations are lower than they once were, & I plan to keep the cookies for ourselves in case any licking without hand washing occurs.

So I encourage you to ask yourself which of your holiday expectations are realistic. 

And which traditions do you truly appreciate?

If they’re Hallmark movie-like or not, own them if you want & enjoy. 😊