When I first got married, I was over the moon about hosting our inaugural holiday gatherings in our new home. I can still picture myself joyfully weaving through the aisles of Target, gathering all the festive decorations to create a magical atmosphere during my favorite time of year. As first-time homeowners, we needed everything, and let’s just say I may have gone a little overboard.
I was determined to outshine Martha Stewart as the ultimate holiday hostess. Christmas and New Year’s Eve were filled with twinkling white lights, vibrant red bows, countless homemade cookies, and just the right amount of chardonnay. Back then, I was the queen of festivities. But now? Well, let’s just say I’ve taken a nosedive.
Honestly, I would trade all the gravy in my charming turkey-shaped gravy boat just to have someone else manage the holiday chaos. I can only imagine Martha chuckling at my current holiday strategy. And I’m pretty sure both my mother and mother-in-law are sharing a good laugh at how far I’ve fallen, especially when they see my store-bought cookies and my lackluster attempts at outdoor lighting.
Somewhere between diaper changes and sippy cups, and amidst sleepless nights and endless carpooling, my holiday spirit has taken a backseat. Decorating the Christmas tree feels like a task I dread, and I often find myself scrambling to finish my Christmas shopping on time. Thank goodness for Amazon Prime; otherwise, Santa would be showing up at our house on December 28. Over the years, I’ve gone from being a holiday guru to the Lindsay Lohan of Christmas prep.
Just the other day, I glanced at my calendar for a work event and was shocked to realize that the holidays are only eight weeks away. As I stared at the calendar, mentally preparing for school parties, crafts, gifts, and gatherings, I suddenly broke out in hives. We had eight weeks to squeeze in every Hallmark moment and nostalgic memory into an already packed schedule. The holidays haven’t even arrived yet, and I’m already feeling drained.
Hey kids, Santa is about to have a meltdown, and it’s not going to be pretty.
I completely understand that achieving holiday perfection is a myth. Just trying to hide gifts from curious little eyes is enough to drive any mom to day drinking, let alone worrying about evenly strung Christmas lights. I know I shouldn’t stress about wrapping paper or the Thanksgiving meal.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the glittery Hallmark fantasy force-fed to us from October to December. It’s frustrating not to have enough time for tree decorating, cookie baking, and general merrymaking (though I always make time for eggnog).
I’ve come to terms with the fact that my kids don’t really care about specific wrapping paper or the traditional items in their stockings. What truly matters is the joy on their faces when we share moments together on the living room floor, surrounded by crumpled wrapping paper and toys that refuse to leave their packaging.
Yet, it often feels like moms shoulder the bulk of holiday responsibilities, and every year, this busy season catches me off guard. No matter how many promises I make to start my planning early and manage my time better to avoid holiday-induced stress, I seem to fall short.
So this year, if you happen to stop by during the festivities, you might notice that my Christmas lights are a bit askew and that some strands are blinking erratically. You’ll see that I forgot to display every single handmade ornament from kindergarten, and I have no clue what happened to our advent calendar. However, you’ll also notice that I plan to savor the joy around me a little more because once you let go of the pressure to bake ten different kinds of cookies from scratch, the holidays become a bit more delightful.
My gifts will be last-minute purchases, and my eggnog won’t be homemade, but rest assured, it will have enough rum to make the holiday haze a tad more bearable. And if my mother-in-law is reading this, I’d be happy to share my spiked eggnog with you in exchange for your Thanksgiving gravy recipe—because these days, I truly need all the help I can get.
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Summary:
As the holiday season approaches, one mother reflects on her journey from enthusiastic holiday hostess to feeling overwhelmed by the demands of festive preparations. With a humorous touch, she shares her struggles with time management, the pressure to create perfect holiday moments, and the realization that the true essence of the holidays lies in the joy of family time rather than perfection. Embracing the chaos, she finds solace in simple pleasures and the support of loved ones.