Don’t Judge Me, This is How We Holiday.

It’s that time of year again where everything feels like a stage.  And our social event calendar can get pretty full, pretty quickly. There are upcoming holiday parties, both at schools, scout groups, friends, work parties, etc. There are shopping trips to be done and gifts to be bought from wherever you want to buy things.

There is so much pressure to buy things this time of year. With my inbox being daily inundated with sales, and it can be really hard to stick to my list.  For me it starts on the first Saturday of November when one of our local towns has an early bird sale, where if you get up and get to town before 6 am (because believe me you can’t find parking at 6 am) and dress in your pajamas and find sales from 40 to 20% off.  For the last two years, I have had a very small window to do this shopping as there has been another event I needed to be at by 9:30 about 80 miles away. So I have to look from a list, make decisions quickly and do my best to stay in my budget.

Some years I have done most of my Christmas shopping on that day (it all depends on what the girls want and if I can get it locally at a good price) but mainly I stock up a lot of our pantry.  Reny’s, Maine’s local department store goes 20% off and it’s a great time to stock up on Stash tea, coconut flakes, maple syrup and more. Last year I got my first pair of snow boots since 2001 because it’s hard to find them at 20% off.

My kids have to put their list into Santa by Halloween, so I usually have most of the Christmas list built by about then. It makes it easier to find deals and to use gift cards and coupons to get things on sale when you have a few months to do it in.  It also means I am more likely to stick to my list and this year I am hoping to have it all done by the first week in December and to do a lot of it online.  Which doesn’t mean I don’t want to support the local people, I do where I can, but some stuff especially when it needs to be a secret is just easier to order online.

However, I feel like everything from Black Friday to New Years is buy, buy, buy, buy.  And it gets so tiring. Even when I just delete emails without opening them, refuse to watch ads and try not to go anywhere besides to get groceries.  It still feels like a lot and onslot.  

And even once we make it to Christmas Eve everyone is showing photos of Santa having come, as if we need a lot of social pats on the back that we did our job as parents.  I try to avoid social media on Christmas because I find it hard to see all the presents everyone got and to not just feel icky. It’s not that I don’t want to wish everyone a happy Yule and Christmas and New Year and whatever else you are celebrating, but I don’t need to see the material goods you shelled out for your family.

I have overdone Christmas in the past when we finally had a bit more money to spend and it didn’t make my kids any happier.  I have already warned everyone that Christmas is quiet this year. Family friends are getting homemade jams and preserves, as well as Scout Leaders, etc. because that is what I have time for and could make ahead and most of the girls helped out in one way or the other. I bought games for our close family friends months ago and they are just waiting to be wrapped.

Which is another thing I hate – wrapping paper. The years that we have had a wood stove at least we could burn them afterward, but honestly, they seem like a waste.  Years ago Santa announced he was no longer wrapping presents, you know what you asked for so you can find it under the tree on Christmas morning.  My mother has made gift bags out of holiday fabrics for years and I have made some reusable labels as well that we just pin on to the appropriate bag each year.

My girls love wrapping gifts for each other, I think that is their favorite thing to do while waiting for Christmas/Yule.  I think they love wrapping paper more, but I like getting to reuse the bags every year. Every year I say I am going to make some more, and usually, it doesn’t happen.  We will see what happens this year.  

I need to sit down with the girls and ask what experiences they want this holiday season. We already have Candy Cane making at a local candy store scheduled and a Victorian Train Ride that is free to be scheduled later this weekend when tickets become available. I can’t do a lot this year, but it is helpful to know if they want to do gingerbread houses with friends again or not.

Okay, this has been a rambling post from a 3rd-trimester mummy.  But these are the things I am thinking about this beginning of November.  How to have a good holiday season but also not get super tired while having it.  What are your goals this holiday season?

PS. Hear more REAL motherhood stories in my Mommy Rebellion, check it out HERE.