Christmas is merely days away, and you have completed your shopping, wrapped all the gifts, and completed all your grocery shopping for Christmas dinner, right? Ha! That is so far from the truth for most of us busy moms. Most of us are not feeling very jolly currently but very stressed. When you take the normal day-to-day expectations and add the holiday madness into the mix you find your halls are decked with unfinished to-do lists. Even with a helpful partner it is still exhausting making sure you have accounted for everyone on the list, delegated tasks to others, and have tied up all the gifts and the loose ends.
I sometimes feel like the month of December is a ticking time bomb. As each day passes, I am reminded of everything I need to accomplish while also fitting in mailing holiday cards, acquiring matching Christmas pajamas for the family, baking cookies, decorating the house, and coordinating schedules with family and friends for holiday gatherings. Then, just when you think you have it all worked out, someone’s kids get sick, including your own. Falalalalalala!
Being a mom during the Christmas season is basically like being an undercover Santa without the help from the elves. I don’t know about you, but I want to start enjoying the holidays more instead of wishing they would pass quickly so we can get back to our “normal” routine. We only get so many holidays with our children before they start splitting their time between two families and eventually create their own family.
I invite you to be intentional with me these last few days before Christmas. Review that to-do list and be honest about what needs to be done. What can you take off completely or delegate to a spouse? Slow down and be intentional with your time. Watch that Christmas movie with the family, bake cookies, drive around, and look at lights. Just be present and stop worrying about the presents, even if it’s just for one evening.
Years from now, our children won’t recall most of the gifts under the tree, but they will remember the feelings of family, love, and tradition. Let us remember that as well.
Merry Christmas to you, moms; you make the holidays brighter.
Modern Mom