“4:00, wallow in self-pity. 4:30, stare into the abyss. 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one. 5:30, jazzercize; 6:30, dinner with me. I can’t cancel that again. 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing. I’m booked. Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness.” — The Grinch
The Grinch is one of my favorite Christmas movies. I watch it every year around the holidays! I love the premise of the movie that Christmas is about the magic of spending quality time with our loved ones and not about the material things that we receive. Christmas can be the most wonderful time of year, but it is easy to turn into a Grinch if you are not taking good care of yourself. There is a lot of pressure to make the holidays special for those you love ESPECIALLY as a Mom of small children. Girl. I get it! Here are my tips and tricks to help you stay jolly during the holidays this year:
- Authentic Traditions: Find traditions that feel authentic to you and your family! This one has been really fun as my family grows. On Christmas Eve, my family always decorates cookies for Santa, goes to mass, and my Dad makes the Canadian Meat Pie recipe that has been in our family for over 100 years.
- Say “No!” Don’t have the capacity for a lot of extra social activities as your calendar fills up? It’s ok to make time for you and your immediate family. It is easy to get caught up in what everyone else wants throughout the holiday season and not listen to what you need.
- Finish Buying Gifts in November: With two Christmas babies, I have to find the balance. The sooner I can make my list and check bought gifts off, I feel significantly less stressed! Finishing buying gifts early allows me to enjoy the holidays instead of having those items looming over my head the whole month of December.
- Gift Savings Account: Each pay period, I automate a certain amount to saving for gifts for Christmas and gifts throughout the year. By saving a little throughout the year, I’m less concerned about the financial impacts of Christmas because I have allocated for it a little at a time.
- Embrace the Sparkle! It is easy to get caught up in all that needs to get done and miss the sparkle in your children’s eye throughout the season. Take time to pause and soak in how special these moments are with you and your little family.
- Take Care of YOU: Remember to pause and give yourself the gift of listening to what you need this Christmas. Your needs matter too, Mama! Whether that is an extra-long bubble bath, a cup of tea, or a trip to Target *gasp* by yourself (AKA the dream), take a moment to figure out what you need. You’ve got this! Wishing you a magical holiday season.
I’m ready. No tree this year but have to get a few poinsettia bushes. Going low key this year with two ceilings that need painting cuz of the grinch IDA, one where my tree would go. Good post, little kids love Christmas, big kids too. 🎄