The Importance Of Holiday Cleaning

Every mother knows the joy of the holidays starts with holiday cleaning, right? NOT. After holiday cleaning is more like it. Who can stand to decorate, bringing out all that merry stuff, while the house is already cluttered? The children, perhaps, but not me.

Nevertheless, I get daunted by the bevy of tasks necessary to prepare the house for the lights and greenery and candles and bows. Keeping the house clean is one of the most arduous tasks I face as a mother. Schooling the kids? A pleasure. Cleaning? A chore.

I suppose many moms feel that way, but not long ago I met a woman who spoke as if she lived to clean. She was less than pleased with the appearance of the basement of our church, which didn't meet her standards. She wondered if she

Life is bigger than neatness and control. Letting my kids be kids--within bounds--allows them to experiment artistically, to experience the freedom and carefree exuberance of childhood. (It also gives me a good excuse when I need to say no to a request--"Not until that room is cleaned!"--is a perennial favorite in my house.)

Merry Christmas! May yours be a neat (but not too neat) one! May you let the child in you come out and play along with the other children in your house. Have an old-fashioned blast making paper snowflakes, or decorate the windows with spray "snow" and holiday stencils. Since messes happen anyway, why not enjoy making a few with a purpose?

If you enjoy holiday fun and would like to mix in a little history to boot, hop on over to my website for a mom-friendly deal combining Christmas tips, inspiration, historical fun facts, story-time treasures and more. "Regency House Christmas: The Package Deal" is chock full of games to draw the family together, recipes for authentic old English delights, and all the help you need to make this Christmastide what you've always thought it should be. Come by, and I'll see you in the nineteenth