Christmas has come and gone again, and I am left feeling absolutely exhausted!
This year, I tried something different! The family went on a cruise before Christmas so we could try to relax and decompress before the holiday. Did it work? Yes! The trip was wonderful, and I forgot it was Christmas. However, that feeling was short-lived. I know there are many parents who enjoy the whole “process” of Christmas. The wrapping, the baking, the parties, the music are all magical, but to me, they are also exhausting. In fact, it is hard to find time to do any of these things on my already packed plate with 3 small children at home. I have spent some time reflecting on things I am going to try to do next year to minimize stress. Please read this list and send me your suggestions on Instagram @Lizzies_List.
Xo,
Lizzie
Buy all gifts before Cyber Monday
While I did a lot of my shopping before Cyber Monday, I left a lot of the last-minute details to the days before Christmas. That meant many late nights of wrapping and fighting crowds to get what I needed. Next year, I am going to ask everyone in my life to make gift lists by Halloween so I am prepared and can hit the ground running.
Use a gift-wrapping service
If anyone appreciates a beautifully wrapped package, it’s me! I love the textures of refined papers and beautifully placed bows as well as custom gift tags. What don’t I love? Hiding gifts around my house until I get around to wrapping them. I also don’t love having to wrap when kids are in bed late at night. I am going to research a gift-wrapping service where the proceeds go to a school or charity, and I’m going to feel good about paying someone to do something that will help me out so much!
Just say “NO” to unnecessary plans
Next year all the lunches and dinners that sneak into my calendar on a normal month will have to wait until after Christmas and Hanukkah are over. We have so Christmas gatherings and parties to attend that I need a little more balance in my life. If friends are true friends they will wait until January!
Stop giving out gift suggestions for my kids
One thing that happens every year is that family and friends call me to ask what my kids want for the Holidays. They don’t want a broad “genre” but instead want me to send them specific items that my children want or need. It is very thoughtful and sweet that we have amazing people in our lives that care enough to buy presents but having to research actual items and send out links is quite time-consuming for parents. The truth is my kids don’t often tell me exactly what they want. They may tell me 1-2 things they would ideally like to have, but the rest is up to me. That means I must spend time researching and picking out items I don’t even know that they will like. My plan for next year is to share the type of toys my child is into, or stores they like, and make the gift givers do the rest of the work.
Stop being Martha Stewart
I think I have fallen into the trap of Pinterest. I now feel that each holiday needs to have “Pinterest” worthy food and décor. It’s as if opening my home and preparing a meal isn’t enough, it also needs to look good enough for Instagram. I must stop putting pressure on myself to make everything perfect and put more time into enjoying the moments of connection.
Schedule babysitters ahead of time
It is crucial this time of year to look at dates at a distance and schedule babysitters a way out. It can be so tough to find a last-minute sitter and it often results in us missing out on something fun or important. This is a MUST!
Focus on the reason for the season
I find that when I focus on my faith and the reason we are celebrating and coming together it is incredibly calming. Whatever your faith or your “reason” for gathering around Christmas and Hanukkah, knowing that we are a part of something so much bigger than us is quite comforting. It makes all of the small stresses seem incredibly small, and all of the moments of togetherness, incredibly important.
