1.)This has been a big week for hosting/gatherings. We had a feast of the seven fishes party (biggest hits were the tuna pasta & whole ocean white fish), and the next night we had another family over to celebrate Hanukkah with brisket, latkes, and dreidel! Then, this weekend, we are also going to a Hanukkah party at the youth rabbi’s house on Saturday, and a family Christmas party on Sunday. This is a lot for one week, but I think it will be a fun and memorable week and after lots of quieter holiday years, I’m kind of loving all the time to connect and celebrate!
2.) This week A had her winter performance. It was cute to see her pantomiming being a bunny in “The Four Seasons,” and doing a moon phases dance. I like that the music teacher is so creative about incorporating what they are learning about in science, and she had a fun time performing on stage at school for the first time.
3.) For Hanukkah, A got a rainbow loom and has been busy making bracelets for me, her sister, Santa (?), Nonna, and her teacher. It’s nice to see her so absorbed in making things, and it’s been a cozy addition to the week to see her curled up next to the tree immersed in making gifts for others.
4.) Perhaps not surprisingly given the big events and extra holiday tasks, this morning was rough. We were running late to school after finishing decorating teacher cards, which I then forgot on the counter. After dropping off my older child, we swung back home to grab the cards. As I was rushing to get my youngest to preschool, I ended up scratching the car by trying to park too fast. The dumb, preventable mistake coupled with how overwhelmed I felt and how hard I was on myself made me realize that I didn’t have as much margin as I’d thought. Letting go of my to-do list a bit today and realizing that I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to finish up all the holiday to-dos before school gets out this afternoon. Gifts can be wrapped after the kids go to bed, I can do the errands tomorrow, and all the chores I don’t get to today will still be there later. Prioritizing meditating, exercising, and snuggling my kids and watching a movie this afternoon when their winter break starts!
5.) This week I’m thinking a lot about the Ezra Klein episode on GiveWell. I’m familiar with the organization because I have a good friend from high school who works there, but if you don’t know them, it’s an organization that evaluates the effectiveness of various nonprofits, particularly public health projects overseas. I don’t 100% agree with effective altruism’s philosophy, but I do think it’s an interesting lens and consideration to add to giving. It's a good listen if you’re curious about how cuts to foreign aid are affecting philanthropy, and how much more of an obligation you have to local community vs. people whose lives you will never intersect with. Definitely good food for thought as you think about end-of-year giving if that’s something you do, and a good listen during times of heavy news stories (which it feels like is almost all of the time).
This year, is your festive season full of big events, or quieter celebrations? Which do you generally prefer? Do you also find it harder to forgive your own mistakes, especially when you’re stressed? Do you prefer to give at the end of the year, or throughout the year? How do you think about giving locally vs. globally?
Wow, you really do have a lot of festive activities going on! It sounds like a lot of fun, but busy. I much prefer cozying up at home with my immediate family and doing quiet, indoor activities. But I could see how parties and dinners would make the season feel extra celebratory.
ReplyDeleteA bracelet for Santa! Adorable!
Ugh -- so sorry about the car scratch. We got to school late this morning, too, and did the whole scramble with multiple teacher gifts as well, so I can imagine what you were going through. Mornings can be chaotic enough without adding in Christmas stuff.
I tend to give more to local organizations. It's not so much a philosophical choice, it just feels like there's an endless number of options and it's "easier" in some ways to support organizations that I know and whose work I can see directly.