Why This Mom is Ready to Say Goodbye to Christmas

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Updated: July 15, 2021
Originally Published: Dec. 7, 2011

I can already hear your thoughts: “She wants to give up Christmas? A mother of four? Christmas? You know, the holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus, filled with joy and peace?” Yes, that Christmas.

I’m officially over it. When I say “done,” I mean I’m completely fed up with how we moms end up celebrating this holiday. It’s no longer about honoring the birth of our Savior. There are no Silent Nights or Merry Gentlemen resting easy. Instead, the next 30 days will be filled with the joyful spirit of Christmas as follows:

1. Christmas Card Photos: Maybe it’s just my family, but the most successful holiday photo I’ve taken was the one where all my kids were asleep. Getting four rambunctious boys and one grown man to dress up, smile, and stand still for longer than a nanosecond is nearly impossible. I once managed to snap one decent picture after taking 60 shots of kids sticking out their tongues, picking their noses, and pulling each other’s hair. By the 59th attempt, I was in tears, and in that brief moment of shock, I finally got a great shot. This year, I’m considering just using their wallet-sized school photos and gluing them onto some festive construction paper. That’ll teach them for years of photo chaos!
2. The Annual Christmas Letter: Everyone sends out those lengthy, detailed family updates, right? If you’re one of those who writes these, please skip to the next section. But if you enjoy receiving them just to get some laughs, then you know exactly what I mean. “Johnny earned his green belt! Katie swam across the pool! Our kids are ALL STARS!” I’m tempted every year to write my own: “Dear friends and family, this year nobody got promoted, and I’m drowning in dirty laundry. My husband travels constantly and helps moms on planes, while my boys are exhausting me to tears daily. But they’re healthy and put up with me, which makes them amazing. Merry Christmas from the Lanes!”
3. Decorations: Ah, Pinterest. You’ve ruined me with your endless scrolling of beautiful holiday décor ideas. I used to spend hours decorating my tree until the boys would inevitably destroy it. Now, I let them do it – the bottom half of the tree used to be the only decorated section. But last year, after a long day, I settled in to admire my work, only for the entire tree to crash down. I simply smiled, unplugged the lights, and went to bed. This year, I’ll be securing that tree to the wall before I even think about hanging ornaments.
4. Holiday Parties: Bring a covered dish! An ornament to exchange! It’s overwhelming! I used to host cookie swaps until it caused too much stress for everyone involved. Still, guilt drives me to attend others’ holiday gatherings, only to find myself stressed over what to bring. It’s supposed to be joyful, but it often feels like another task on my never-ending to-do list. This year, I’m calling a holiday party moratorium. Let’s just exchange Valentine’s cards instead!
5. Christmas Plays: Before having kids, I envisioned adorable little angels and a perfect Mary in the Christmas plays. But I ended up with my own little flock of shepherds. I tried organizing the church nativity play, but my late-night sewing sessions and the chaos of memorizing lines turned it into a nightmare. Now, I just sit back and let my boys participate, knowing they’ll do just fine without my help. I’ll enjoy watching them perform without the stress of being involved.
6. Toy Assembly: I think we might be on the last year of assembling toys on Christmas Eve. My husband always waits until the last minute, and it usually ends in chaos. We bicker over instructions and toy assembly while trying to wrangle a fussy baby. I distinctly remember swearing and calling him names while he frantically tried to put together toys at 2 a.m. This year, I’m ready for the chaos to be behind me. When the kids run out on Christmas morning, it’ll all be worth it – just like childbirth!

In summary, the holiday season has transformed from a joyful celebration into a chaotic whirlwind of tasks and expectations. From the stress of family photos to the overwhelming number of holiday parties, it’s easy to feel like giving up on the festivities altogether. However, there’s a silver lining: amidst the chaos, there’s love, laughter, and the occasional moment of joy. So, while I may be done with the traditional aspects of Christmas, I’m not done with the spirit of the season.

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