With Christmas just around the corner, the anticipation is at an all-time high. It always amazes me how much time is spent preparing for one day out of the 365. Cooking, wrapping, shopping, baking, and the list goes on.
For the most part, we moms are behind all the magic that transforms our homes into mini Winter Wonderlands. We take great pride and pleasure in ensuring the holidays are nothing short of perfection for our families. After all, Christmas only comes once a year, so why not go all out and make the most out of it before real life rears its ugly head again?
Undoubtedly, we can easily continue to sprinkle pixie dust on our worries and keep our anxiety under wraps until the big day turns into yet another mundane one. The stress of the holidays is very real, but our friends and even family may not know that we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make it beyond spectacular. We may even go as far as to try and top the year before! We do it for our kids, and nothing is more important than seeing them smile and immerse themselves in the magic of the holidays.
However, doing so can bring about unnecessary stress and anxiety.
The holidays have become so commercialized that they can influence and send messages to our little ones that to experience Christmas in all its glory, one must have the biggest Christmas tree on the lot and tons of presents. This can do a number on moms who try to keep things simple and low-key.
We may find ourselves staying up till all hours of the night, filling our Amazon carts with everything on our kiddos’ lists. We dread seeing that one of their most wanted items will arrive after Christmas. Instead of moving along and accepting the circumstances for what they are, we begin to obsess and worry.
We create our anxiety by assuming our kids will realize one man can’t deliver every toy desired by every child in just one night. To over-compensate and distract ourselves from these thoughts, we focus on the kitchen, where we bake obscene amounts of sugar cookies before the gift-wrapping mayhem begins.
We do what we do best: distract ourselves from guilt and inner turmoil by replacing our intrusive thoughts with more selfless acts. Although some may argue that we don’t need a holiday to feel this way, it has its special way of creeping up on us during the happiest time of the year.
However, there is a solution and that is doing something no mom has ever done before (especially during the holiday season) and putting ourselves first. We must accept that we aren’t just moms but also people. We live to make everyone happy; our little ones are our world.
That being said, for our kids to be happy, we need to be happy.
The first step is to acknowledge that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to take some time to catch up on your favorite Netflix series or even go for a long drive by yourself. We tend to be extra hard on ourselves this time of year because we need everything perfect for our children.
What better time to start showing yourself some love than now? Treat yourself to a special gift because you deserve it. Allow yourself to be open to experiencing the love you show others all year round. It may be challenging to adjust to the idea due to the tendency to always put yourself last, but do it. It’s a necessity, not an option. Please acknowledge that you’re the reason for the smiles on your kids’ faces when they gaze at the lights on your fabulous tree.
Take pride in your delectable homemade Christmas cookies, and give yourself some credit for creating a beautiful and festive home for your family and friends to enjoy. Reward yourself often by taking time each day to give back to yourself because although it’s far better to give than to receive, you can and should be OK with putting yourself first.
