When my husband and I first tied the knot, I was over the moon to host our inaugural holiday celebrations in our new home. I felt like a kid in a candy store as I pranced through Target, gathering all the festive decor to make our space feel magical during my favorite season. As new homeowners, we needed every ornament and decoration, and let’s just say, I may have gone a tad overboard.
I was determined to outshine Martha Stewart in holiday hosting prowess. My Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations were a whirlwind of twinkling lights, vibrant red bows, a smorgasbord of homemade cookies, and copious amounts of chardonnay.
Ah, the glory days before kids. Now? Not so much.
Honestly, I would trade all the gravy in my turkey-shaped boat just to have someone else take the reins on the holidays. I can only imagine Martha chuckling at the holiday chaos I now manage. I know my mother and mother-in-law are secretly amused by my decline from “holiday queen” to “hot mess,” especially when they catch sight of my store-bought cookies and haphazardly strung lights.
Between diaper changes, sippy cups, sleepless nights, and carpooling, my holiday prep has taken a nosedive. Decorating the tree feels like a chore I dread, and I’m always scrambling to finish my Christmas shopping on time. Thank goodness for Amazon Prime, or Santa would be making his rounds well into January. In just a few short years, I’ve gone from Martha Stewart to the Lindsay Lohan of holiday readiness.
Recently, I glanced at my calendar and realized I only have eight weeks until the holiday frenzy begins. As I stared at the dates, mentally mapping out school events, crafting, and shopping, I broke out into hives. Eight weeks to cram every Hallmark moment into an already packed schedule is exhausting. The holidays haven’t even officially started, and I’m already worn out.
Guess what, kids? Santa might just lose it this year, and it won’t be pretty.
I get it, truly. Perfection during the holidays is a myth. Just trying to keep my kids from discovering the hiding spots for presents is enough to drive any mom to day drink, let alone stressing over perfectly strung Christmas lights. I know it shouldn’t matter what wrapping paper I choose or what feast I serve on Thanksgiving.
But it’s hard to ignore the glossy Hallmark fantasy that gets shoved down our throats from October to December. It’s frustrating not to have the time to dive into tree decorating, baking cookies, and spreading cheer (though I always have time for eggnog).
I’ve come to realize that my kids don’t care about specific Santa wrapping paper or the traditions I used to uphold. They remember the joy of being together, surrounded by crumpled wrapping paper and toys still trapped in their packaging.
Yet, moms end up shouldering the bulk of holiday responsibilities, and I feel like I’m perpetually caught off guard by this time of year. No matter how much I promise to start earlier and manage my time better to avoid these holiday meltdowns, I never seem to get it together.
So, if you swing by this holiday season, don’t be surprised if my Christmas lights are a bit askew, some strands are flickering like a disco ball, and I’ve neglected to hang any of those adorable kindergarten ornaments. You might notice my advent calendar has mysteriously vanished. But I’ll be soaking in more of the merriment around me because when you stop trying to bake ten varieties of cookies from scratch, the holidays shine a little brighter.
Sure, my gifts will be purchased at the last minute, and my eggnog won’t be homemade, but trust me, it will have enough rum to make this holiday haze a tad more bearable.
And, if my mother-in-law happens to be reading this, I’d be more than happy to share my spiked eggnog with you if you’ll keep whipping up that Thanksgiving gravy, because I can’t tackle the holidays without some serious backup!
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In short, the holidays may feel overwhelming, but it’s all about the moments we share, not the perfection we chase.