Happy holidays! Get busy, Moms! It’s time to do ALL the things and make ALL the memories! Do it ALL right this minute too! And if you don’t, your kids will probably be scarred for life and tell their therapist about how their Mom ruined their life by not being the Best Christmas Mom Ever.
(Insert sarcastic eye roll.)
Really, I want you to take a deep breath and remember that this holiday season — even when we are asked for everything and feel the pressure to be in charge of our whole family’s happiness — is for us too. In order to enjoy it despite the hustle and bustle, I’m going to need you to take a peek at the tips that I gathered from some of my oldest and dearest (seasoned) Mom friends. These ladies have been in the trenches of motherhood for long enough to be pros at just about everything, including the holidays.
So here are their tips to actually enjoy (not just survive) the holiday season:
Make a list of what your family wants to do
Ask each member of your family what their favorite thing to do is and then prioritize based upon that. If you have older kids and they are so over the Christmas lights, let them stay home in their room (because that’s the only cool place anyway) and just take your littles out to see the lights. If you love the holiday concerts and no one else does, find a friend to go with you and leave the kids with Dad to watch Rudolph. If your daughter loves to ice skate but no one else does, let her go with a trusted friend and their family. Let everyone do their fun thing, but don’t feel that you all have to do all the fun things.
Holiday baking (only if you enjoy it!)
I hate cooking. I hate baking. But for some reason, I love to make Christmas cookies and candies each year. I also use small bags or tins of these as fun little gifts for those people who make my life richer, but with whom I technically don’t exchange gifts. And if you want to decorate cookies with your kids, but don’t want to do the baking, find a bakery or small business that will make up the decorating kits and get one of those. The enjoyment is the only part that matters.
Catering or take out
It’s a busy time of year. Do not, I repeat, do not worry about cooking big holiday meals from scratch all the time. If you’re hosting a party, do it potluck style, order catering, or use a rotisserie chicken as the centerpiece. Any combination of what cooking you’d like to do and what part you want to skip is totally acceptable. The people you invite are your loved ones, and I guarantee they will enjoy the party no matter the menu.
Get help wrapping
Whether it is making your husband help no matter the look of the finished gift, getting older siblings to help out, or donating to the organizations who wrap as a fundraiser, get yourself some help! One Mom even told me that she gets some secret outside help and then hides in her locked bedroom listening to music with a cup of cocoa (or holiday cocktail) and lets everyone think she is busy wrapping. Genius.
Donate
It is the best time of year to remember those less fortunate than we are. Donate to your favorite charity, no matter if it’s some of your time, a little cash, or maybe “adopting” a child to provide gifts for. There is nothing that will give you more satisfaction.
Don’t get stuck on dates
Because it can get so busy during the month of December, don’t get stuck on celebrating everything at the same time. If your large family can get together on December 11th to feast and give gifts, then schedule it. There is no more love and laughter to be found on December 25th than any date before.
Be selective about guests
Remember that this is your holiday too. If you have some family members who want to stay at your house for a week, but you know for a fact they will drink eggnog and sing carols until 2am, it’s ok to ask that they stay in a hotel instead of your guest room next door to your baby.
Plan a vacation
Yep. I said what I said. In between all the running around and “have-to-dos,” plan a vacation for the following year. For me, an afternoon of daydreaming about a beach or cottage in the woods and doing a little research means that I look forward to after the holidays too. I even sometimes plan this vacation and give it as a Christmas gift to my husband. (You do not have to actually add this expense to your budget. A plan is just that and does not have to include costly reservations yet.)
