"Oh, goody. I heard you were like this. I'm so glad it's true."

Simplify.

If I had a motto for "the holidays" - or any day, really - this would be it

I'm all about the simplifying.

Last year, at my house, we ate Thanksgiving dinner on these

Chinet paper platters

This year, at my mom's house, I convinced her it's OK to eat Thanksgiving dinner on similar paper products.

No washing necessary AND biodegradable?

Does the world get any simpler than that?

Yes.

Yes, it does.

Because after not having to wash all that Thanksgiving china,

if you're me

(and I am)

you will run headfirst into the Christmas season

by attempting to avoid most, if not all, forms of

conspicuous Christmas consumerism

and you can get away with it

if you simply convince your families

that less actually is more.

And you'll find that you all survive Christmas even without the hoopla of the gift giving. And you'll like it. You really will.

(But you'll still head out on Black Friday and watch everyone else go at it.

Especially if your husband likes to shop.

(and mine does)

And he asks you "please? please? please?" if you'll wake up early and go with him "just to look".)

[Title quote is from "Stick It"]