THE FIRST THING ON MY LIST “to do, buy, and accomplish” before Christmas: Throw away the list.

It is difficult even to type those words. As every mother knows during this time of year (actually, any time of year), the list is what keeps us on track. It reminds us to pick up juice boxes for our child’s class, call for an oil change, make brownies for the bake sale, schedule haircuts. Without my list, how would I remember the details that keep my family happy and my household running?