Power Nap #79
I didn't grow up with a Christmas stocking, and my kids won't either
BERTA NIXED STOCKINGS!
Hey friends, I hope this email finds you well. It’s officially ONE WEEK TILL CHRISTMAS and holy cow that feels very, very soon. Are you feeling overwhelmed? No matter how well planned I am there seems to always be loose ends to tie up, bows to (literally) tie, and last minute errands to run. I am looking and asking myself, “What can wait till January?" And also, “What can I simply take off my plate for good?”
I shared about Berta nixing stockings on Instagram stories the other day and I had so many messages I felt like it needed a permanent home with the Power Nappers. Basically, at some point in my childhood, my mom stopped doing stockings. I remember her telling us very calmly and matter of factly that there simply wouldn’t be stockings that year.
And here’s the crazy part: nobody really cared.
We all (I am one of four) still received so many presents and things we had wanted and asked for, and my mom took one small (but let’s be real, also GIANT) thing off of her plate.
Now that I am a parent, we also don’t do stockings. It’s funny because it’s only really been in the last two years that I have even remembered that other people do them. On a few occasions I have considered introducing them because I think I could enjoy filling them, but also my kids don’t notice or ask for them and everyone seems to be fine. Also, Kate, did you not read the intro you just wrote?! I don’t think I should be looking for extra things to add to my plate right now.
Maybe for you it’s not the stockings. Maybe it’s the compulsion to try and do every single Christmas light show or see Santa or make gingerbread houses. Let Berta give you the freedom to stop if you need to. Staying in and watching a movie with microwave popcorn is its own kind of Christmas magic, and I’m pretty sure the kids will be fine.
In Case You Missed It
This is the phrase Kate is leaning into this Advent season.
Looking for last minute Christmas gifts? Consider a recipe binder filled with some favorite recipes. Get the free printable and template on how to make your own here. OR homemade consumables. The 12 Days of Christmas Consumables contains 12 budget-friendly food gifts to share this holiday season. Get it here.
Kate ordered two of the very popular Amazon jackets. Both come in a ton of patterns. This one is puffier/warmer. Hook and loop closure. This one is a thinner material/less warm (perfect for Charleston climate) and has buttons.
“Mastery is the best goal because the rich can’t buy it, the impatient can’t rush it, the privileged can’t inherit it, and nobody can steal it. You can only earn it through hard work. Mastery is the ultimate status.”
Things You Should Read About Birds
If you are new, this segment is where we put articles we found interesting. It doesn't mean we necessarily agree with everything in every article (sometimes we even disagree!). Also, we do our best to link to free articles, but occasionally articles may require a subscription, such as the Wall Street Journal, New Yorker, or New York Times, or require you to create a free account.
1. Crows hold grudges forever. (NYT) “If you ever find yourself dive-bombed or aggressively cawed at by a crow, you must ask yourself: did you do anything to upset that particular bird — or any of its friends or relatives — over the past two decades?”
2. How to approach big tasks: "Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table, close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.'” I (Nate) tell this story from Ann Lamont to the kids. But I change it to so it's in the first person (and alter a few of the details). Sure it's not exactly true, but it makes a great point!
3. How scientists are decoding birdsongs. (New Yorker). Discusses Merlin Bird ID App (the app is free!).
4. This guy has taken bird watching to the next level. (Sent to Nate by both his neighbor and his step-dad)
5. CHRISTMAS GIFT ALERT!! “These are the world’s first pair of AI binoculars, the company claims, with an onboard computer that can identify nearly any bird you point them at. They have a built-in camera and use computer vision software to ID over 9,000 bird species in real time.” Only €4,600.00 lol. You can see in the picture below how it works. Very cool (it also uses the Merlin app). I can believe it works with a big bird (like the western cattle egret below), but I am suspicious that it would be able to tell the difference between the palm warblers and the yellow-rumped warblers 40 feet up in the pine tree by my house.
Molly’s Must-Haves
“Molly's Must-Haves” is brought to you by Kate's best friend Molly who is a meticulous researcher. Each week she is going to share an item, the problem it solves, and why she chose it.
Kraft Paper
“With the countdown to Christmas in the single digits, I am convinced that a roll of Kraft paper might be one of the best items to have on hand. Kraft paper can save the day in many of the last minute "oops I forgot" moments that are bound to happen in the days leading up to Christmas. Use it as wrapping paper for those final few gifts and avoid being left with a partially used roll of holiday gift wrap. Roll it out on the floor for the kids to draw on (my kids LOVE this). Use it as a table runner for Christmas dinner. Or my favorite: roll it out on your kitchen table and serve all your appetizers on it making clean up a breeze--it is SO satisfying to just roll up the paper and be DONE. And the best part is you will continue to use it beyond the holiday season, I keep a roll on hand year-round!” - Molly
**Kate made a reel showing 3 ways to use the Kraft paper, which was actually Molly's idea! Check it out here.
Christmas Break Movie Ideas
With Christmas break around the corner, here’s some movies that Kate and Nate have loved watching with their kids. If you want it is as printable click here.
