This seems like one of those articles that should write itself. Everyone has to deal with Holiday Stress in some way. Either you are hosting, and have performance stress in terms of what to serve, cleaning your house, and making sure everyone has a good time; or you are going visiting, and have logistical stress in the form of organizing your family and what you need to take along to make sure the visit is enjoyable.
I have hosted Thanksgiving dinner before. It is very stressful making the holiday main course. Regardless of if the pressure to cook the perfect turkey was real or imagined, I felt it. I cooked for 16 people in my home I shared with my boyfriend (now husband). Everyone was bumping into one another in the small galley-style kitchen. Those without jobs to do in preparation of the meal walked around the house wondering what the rest of us were buzzing about. There’s always stories, funny and some not-so-funny following a family celebration.
But that is not this year. This year we are visiting. We are embarking on a road trip from our home near Kansas City to visit family in the Chicagoland area. Since we recently lost one of our dogs to cancer, we don’t have the heart to board our other dog, a 10lb. Jack Russell terrier, so we’re bringing her along. We will need to make many stops along the road, so it will be a long trip there and back, not even considering the whirlwind we'll experience while we are there.
We usually stay with my parents who still live in the home where I grew up, but after the last several visits coming home with allergies flaring from Dad’s smoking, and neck tense from sleeping on a cramped bed and having to play nice with Dad’s good-humored jabs, we decided to stay in a hotel. I’m hoping it is the best decision we’ve made in a long time. The place we’re staying boasts comfortable queen beds, special bedding for children, and even a doggie bed and toys for our pooch. I’m looking forward to soaking in the pool with the kids when we’re not visiting family and friends.
Planning the trip is always a logistical nightmare not only trying to maneuver the arrangements for where to stay, but I also have a handful of friends we like to try and see. So we have to plan that. Then there’s the packing.
I always laugh because my husband can pack his clothes and toiletries, then says, “Are we ready?” I’m usually staring him with my mouth agape and eyes wide astounded. I not only have to pack my own things, but I also have to pack both our boys things, and toys, books and videos to entertain them both on the road and where we’re going for 5 days. Further, I need to make sure we bring a leash, dog food, a couple rawhides and a ball, and a receptacle for feeding our dog. My brain hurts from thinking of it all. Oh, and I have to pack healthy snacks for the road—almost forgot. I also like to make sure the car is cleaned of extraneous papers and toys from our daily life, and the dog also is going in for a cleaning and nail clipping.
“So no, we’re not ready,” I usually reply dryly to my husband trying not to sound too annoyed.
In the past, we tried to fly to visit family. That was a whole other logistical nightmare, with having to bring not only all the stuff previously mentioned, but having to bring a stroller and car seats on top of it all, while keeping track of boarding passes, dropping off cars, picking up trams, and the rest of it. So this time, we’re all loading up in the SUV to drive 8-9hrs. to Grandma & Grandpa’s house.
Yesterday I made a list of all the things I need to accomplish before we hit the road early Wednesday morning. I purposely left it in full-view so my husband might glean an appreciation, or help out. He saw it, and went to find himself a project to work on. I will be asking for help if the stress gets to be too much. That will probably be tomorrow night when I'm scrambling after the boys go to bed.
The list will be my Godsend to get us out of here and relatively on time. Wish me luck! There's more to come…
What's on your list?
Christine Jeffries is a writer/editor for work and at heart, and lives in a home of testosterone with her husband and two sons. She started a women’s group, The Wo-Hoo! Society, in the interests of friendship, networking, and philanthropy. The group meets separately on a monthly basis in the Phoenix and Kansas City areas. Christine is interested in women’s health and promoting strong women