Tis’ the season, as they say, and, regardless of your faith tradition, many of us are deeply mired in holiday preparations and food and gifts.

As a child, I grew up in an observant Jewish home. We honored the Sabbath, my father was both a regular attendee at services and a person who prayed at home every day. And while we celebrated all of the Jewish holidays, including Chanukah, my dad was the one who insisted on gifts for us on Christmas Day, including filling stockings (okay, a pair of my knee socks) that we would leave by the fireplace.

In those days, Chanukah gifts were not the every night expectation that my kids had, rather they were packages of Chanukah gelt, foil wrapped coins that we devoured, and that was about it.

These Christmas gifts were very out of character for my father and, yet, they weren’t. He didn’t want us to feel deprived or left out as our friends received gifts and, I think, he wanted us to feel less “different” as one of few Jewish families in our neighborhood.

Today, Chanukah has become as gift-oriented as Christmas and our blended family represents all of the varying traditions, seamlessly and happily. And that is a joy. It is also a project! Between our seven children, ten grandchildren, friends, family, colleagues and others who we want to show appreciation to at this season, there are times it feels overwhelming.

I turn one bedroom into a cross between Santa’s Workshop and an online shopping warehouse. And, even then, I am remembering someone or something I forgot and grabbing my phone to find yet another overnight delivery option. Wanting to do some homemade gifts, I have baked endless batches of cookies as well as five loaves of sourdough bread (all in one day), and have fried enough latkes that I still can’t get all of the oil spots off of my glasses.

There is a part of me that says, “This is a lot.” And it is a lot, a lot to do, a lot to remember, a lot in every respect (and let’s not talk about how much I’ve spent, we can think about that in January!). But then, as I catch my breath, I realize that “a lot” is really a blessing. How fortunate I am to have so many people in my life that I care about and that I want to recognize at the holidays. Each name on my list, from family to colleagues and beyond, has meaning for me. Each person holds a unique place in my life and is part of the circle that I hold dear. That’s what I need to hold onto when I feel the pressure of so much to do, remembering the gift of so many, all of whom are part of filling my full heart.