I really care for my family and friends so much, and I love being with them, but not all at once! During the three weeks before Christmas, I am expected to be more social than I am for the rest of the year combined. Every couple of days there is something "special" to go to. I confess that I really would enjoy each event -- if they were spread throughout the year!
So how does a person who likes quiet, deep, one-on-one conversations and relaxing evenings at home manage the holidays? Since I still haven't recovered from Thanksgiving which was two days ago, I'm really asking myself this question. Beside being an introvert, I am an intuitive (INFJ introverted intuitive feeling judging) which means that I melt down when confronted with long Christmas "to do" lists. As a woman who is a feeling person, I care about others needs, and as a judging person I have a sense of responsibility to do what is expected of me at Christmas time.
It is not surprising that I collapse each year after Christmas, but this year is going to be different! Why? I am going to give up trying to act like an extrovert for a month. I simply can't do it. I don't enjoy it, and I don't want to do it. Wow! It felt good to say that.
So, as an introvert, what is my vision of a wonderful Christmas? I know it is not the high activity, high social, high excitement experience which energizes extroverts. That makes me tired even saying it. I dream of a Christmas where I can sit and read the Christmas story from the Bible; where I have the stillness to remember what we are celebrating -- the birth of our Savior. I want to keep in my heart the simplicity of that first Christmas.
I dream of snuggling in a comfy chair in my own home with a cup of cocoa while I gaze at the twinkling Christmas lights, and the beauty of Christmas music envelops me. Throw in a few knocks on my door from good friends and short chats, seeing neighborhood Christmas lights, doing a Nativity pageant with my little granddaughter, watching some classic Christmas movies and videos of the Nativity, and a few small gifts exchanged with close family, and it sounds about perfect to me.
So what am I going to do to have the simple, quiet Christmas that, as an introvert, I enjoy?
- Choose no more than one event that I enjoy to do per week
- Choose low social events that I enjoy such as driving around and seeing lights
- Relate with just a few people that I am close to
- Use technology to email a Christmas Letter or card to family
- Post a Christmas greeting on Facebook for friends
- Give gift cards instead of shopping and wrapping presents
- Put up only a few decorations that I really enjoy
- Make decorating a Christmas Grandma/Grandchild event
- To make tree decorating easy, I left my artificial tree up from last year in my garage (it is metal) with the lights on it, so all we need to do is add the ornaments
- Leave Christmas events as soon as I begin to get tired
- Not doing any baking or special cooking (this may be what you enjoy, but I don't, and besides, there are those in our family who love to cook and my husband can buy at the bakery with the best of them)
- I decided on a few presents that I could easily make on a computer for my grandchildren
- I ordered a couple of things for one present a few months ago and now I just have a few things to wrap
- I am going to continue to write and share my favorite Christmas stories and videos on Facebook
- I am not going to travel anywhere
- I am going to rest when I am tired
- I am going to make quiet time to recover after I go to an event
- I am going to be the quiet person I really am as I enjoy what Christmas is really about-- for me.
May you discover what makes a special Christmas for you and do it this year. Wishing you the quiet joy of an introvert Christmas!
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