[CloserToTheMid]

This is a dangerous time of the year for me. Not because I hate Christmas, but because I LOVE it and because it becomes part of my job. No I'm not from the North Pole. I have to make rules to keep things level. No constant Christmas music, no watching a Christmas movie every night. No binge-drinking egg nog. It's for my own good. I get manic...scary manic....not happy manic

My job is music director in a United Methodist church. I plan Christmas in June. I begin rehearsing kid's and adult choirs for the special programs in AUGUST. Christmas music in AUGUST. I even if have a term. PYE - Premature Yuletide Excitement. 1-5 scoring. 1 = whistle a Christmas song, 5 = Decorate the Christmas tree in 100 degree Oklahoma weather. Funny, but, serious!

Anybody else? How do you deal?

[Skeezyks]

Hello Daniel: Thanks for sharing your situation. I'm afraid I cannot relate to any of this. My wife & I are older people & we don't celebrate Christmas, or any other holiday either for that matter. I guess the good thing here is you're aware of your situation & sensitive to how you can react to it. "Forewarned is forearmed" as the saying goes. So I offer my best wishes as you forge ahead into this complicated holiday season.

[leejosepho]

Yes, glad to know you are well ahead of it -- well in the head?! -- with clear outlines, plans, boundaries and so on, and I had never before thought about all of this in the light of your kinds of responsibilities. So...

Plan your work;
Work your plan;
Work smart, not hard;
Make each move count;
Enjoy the fruits of your labor.

[CloserToTheMid]

Originally Posted by leejosepho

Yes, glad to know you are well ahead of it -- well in the head?! -- with clear outlines, plans, boundaries and so on, and I had never before thought about all of this in the light of your kinds of responsibilities. So...

Plan your work;
Work your plan;
Work smart, not hard;
Make each move count;
Enjoy the fruits of your labor.

That's a really great saying, leejosepho

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by CloserToTheMid

That's a really great saying, leejosepho

With all else about my childhood aside, I learned those principles from my dad while "growing up", so to speak, in his factory beginning at about age 9.

[CloserToTheMid]

My pastor/boss is so supportive. He has clinical depression so we check in on each other from to time. He knows that I'm struggling with the stress of the coming church events (adult choir program, children's program, two Christmas eve services with 6 soloists and three choral pieces). He asked if there was anything he could do. I said that I'm all in with the coming services. I do not want to back out. Seeing the doc tomorrow, maybe he'll fix me up. So he gave me Christmas day service off. Found a replacement for me. I'll worship with my family. That only happens once or twice a year. I left our home church to take this job. And they stayed behind.

[Moose72]

I can relate. My husband was the music director at a Methodist Church when the kids were little. Not an easy job!