Photo by: iStock

Taking the Stress Out of December

by Rachel of "Rachel + Reagan"
Photo by: iStock

The calendar is packed. The kids are frazzled. And mom just wants five minutes alone to go to the bathroom without another rendition of Daniel Tiger’s “It’s Snowflake Day.”

Welcome to December!

Each year is the same, I want the holidays to be mysterious and magical – filled with lots of tradition and activities that my daughter will remember as she grows up – while keeping the true meaning of Christmas at the center of it all. So I plan, and I go, and I do… and by December 24th, I’m ready for the whole thing to be over. So much for mysterious and magical.

Instead of trying to do it all and be it all this holiday season, I’ve decided to step back and reevaluate my priorities. Won’t you join me?

Here are three ways I’m bringing the magic back to Christmastime. I’m going to:

1. Be purposeful.
Choose a few events that are really important to our family, and make those a priority. This includes an evening drive around town to see all the Christmas lights complete with hot chocolate and Christmas jammies, as well as the Christmas Eve service at church. I also know that we need to keep enough open space on the calendar to give our family down-time during this fun, but busy, season.

2. Be realistic.
If you are to believe the ads on TV, you might think that Christmas means a tree, packed with a bazillion perfectly wrapped gifts (plus a new car out front – a minivan, perhaps – wrapped with a big red bow!) and family near and far, together, impeccably dressed, and completely blissful. But in the real world, most of us live within budgets, time constraints, and the reality that family-time together isn’t always happy. And some of us just really aren’t minivan people! In spite of the pressure, I’m going to set realistic expectations for our family, and for myself. I’m going to plan ahead to avoid situations that might wreak havoc on my holiday hopes. (For example, one week with extended family in a small house may be a bad idea. Been there, done that.)

3. Be creative.
Don’t have the money to buy gifts for everyone on your list this year? How about making your own gifts, or shopping consignment or thrift shops for toy-treasures? If a traditional Christmas Day holds unhappy memories for you or a member of your family, spend the day doing something less traditional like skiing, going to the beach or spending the afternoon at the movies. There is no “right” way to celebrate Christmas, so get creative and celebrate in a way that fits with your family’s needs and what you enjoy doing together. For our family, Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus so we place a small present under the tree with a tiny slit for coins that we “gift” to him throughout the month. After Christmas we donate it to a local charity that helps the homeless.

What special or unique Christmas traditions does your family celebrate?

Rachel is still finding her way in the early years of parenting – she loves her handsome guy, wonders if “alone time” is really a thing anymore, and her heart skips a beat at every crooked smile and call of “Mommy.” Follow her blog at rachel+reagan.

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