When I look at my calendar and see that we are headed straight into mid-December, I am not filled with the warm, fuzzy feelings of hopeful anticipation as every holiday Hallmark movie would suggest. Instead, my mind starts racing and I go straight into full-blown panic.
As a mother, the holiday season brings an enormous amount of pressure. It easily leads to us moms overextending ourselves to please everyone but ourselves. Trying to get together with family, hosting holiday parties, attending holiday parties, sending out Christmas cards, buying presents…you’re so busy trying to make joy for everyone else, it’s easy to forget to be present.
And on top of it all, you can’t stop hearing that incessant little mom-guilt “voice” telling you to make it super magical and extra special for your kiddos! You may try to go easy on yourself, but those magical moments when your kids are young and experiencing holidays for the first time are fleeting, and times that you will never get back.
So with that in mind, I would like to share a few encouraging reminders and helpful tips, with the hope that another stressed out mom would read and feel empowered to take a deep breath, shut down that racing mind, and take in the joy of the holiday season that everyone is talking about.