Don’t let the Holidays bring you down! This is a lot easier said than done. The last several years it seems like holidays have been more and more stressful for me. I remember the holidays as a kid and we did the same thing every year. My parents were divorced so some years we celebrated on different days but the traditions were the same. My family was pretty small so we didn’t have to worry about anyone else’s schedules and we just had this amazing, stress-free Christmas! (Or so I thought) I honestly don’t know how stressed out my parents were, but I’m guessing (since I have kids) I am getting a little taste of it. Every year it gets a little more stressful than the last and this year it has reached its boiling point. Here is what I’ve come to realize about the holiday season.

The More the Merrier?

You think that getting married and having kids is amazing and it’s going to add so much more to holidays. Don’t get me wrong – watching a 2 year old open up that dinosaur they’ve been dreaming about for days (That’s right they change their mind daily) and freaking out because “Santa” knew exactly what they wanted is pretty awesome and a lot better than watching your 40-year-old liberal sister open up a used copy of a Rush Limbaugh book (Props to my Step-dad for worst gift ever). However, the more kids/husbands added to the family also means more stress. You now have to plan your holidays around everyone else’s in order to have everyone together. STOP! Don’t forget the reason for the holiday season. I don’t know what that reason is for you and your family, but I’ve had to really sit down and think about it. To me, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Why am I so stressed out about planning the Holiday? Why haven’t I been taking my kids to Church? I still have a lot of questions I need to ask and evaluate, but this is my start to really trying to figure out what’s important and which stress triggers I can avoid.

You’re not alone!

I had a pretty big fight with my family over Thanksgiving this year and now I’m not sure where I stand with one of my siblings. I see everyone’s post on Facebook and all their cute family pictures and I often wonder why my family can’t be like theirs. How come I argue with my family members? Maybe if I was a part of another family everything would be perfect and I would never argue with anyone. WRONG! Upon opening up to several of my friends about the argument I had and soliciting their advice on how I should proceed, I was really surprised at how many people have family issues mirroring mine-almost exactly. If you’re sitting there thinking yours is the only family out there that has one or more family members that won’t talk to you… you are not alone! You don’t get along with your in-laws? Neither do half of your friends! You don’t get along with your brother’s wife or sister’s husband? Nope-not alone there either. Social media makes us think that we are the only ones out there with issues and everyone else has this perfect family that never fights. That’s a big crock of Sh*t! After talking with my friends, I honestly don’t know a single family that is “perfect” and doesn’t have some issue with a relative. I hope you can find some comfort in knowing your family issues are not unique.

Don’t be afraid to Change!

Every year we do the same thing for the holidays and every year I get a little more stressed because I need to stick to my family’s tradition. Since becoming a parent, I also feel a push start and maintain my own family traditions and also include my husband’s family’s traditions too. Is making sure you follow all of these traditions so important that it’s worth being stressed out over? What would happen if you decided not to go to your grandma’s house for Christmas? Would she be upset and never talk to you again? Or would she understand because she’s be in your exact same shoes before? Could you make it up to her by spending time with her another month? This holiday season, I challenge you to not feel like you have to do something because that is “tradition” but figure out what holiday traditions are working and which ones aren’t. If they aren’t making you happy don’t be afraid to change them. You don’t want your kids to think crazy, stressed-out parents and a constantly rushed and moving schedule is a holiday tradition- even if it is.

You are amazing!

You have an amazing family! You are an amazing mother/father! At the end of the day, sit back and look at everyone around you and take a deep breath and remember you are amazing! Your holiday might not be “Facebook perfect” or perfect for everyone else but if it’s perfect for you then that is all that matters. You are AMAZING! 🙂

Happy Holidays to my amazing reader! (That’s right I have basically one person that reads my blog – someday I’ll update this to “readers”)