It started Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. The Twitter and Facebook updates of friends and family proclaiming their holiday shopping was complete. Pictures were posted of their house, decorated to rival the home of Martha Stewart. Festive trees were up, stocking were hung and lights covered every inch of possible roof space. Even bathrooms proclaimed the joy of the holiday season. BATHROOMS.
In the past this has caused me to panic. How was I, the most un-crafty, design dumb , anti-Martha of them all supposed to keep up? Can I throw the most incredible holiday shindig of the year when not all of my windows are draped with boughs of holly? This year I've accepted I am NOT those people and I can't compete. Sure,I finally got the decorations are up but they don't match and my house doesn't have a theme (unless "A Very Merry Dollar Store Christmas" counts as a theme).
When I've mentioned the fact I wasn't planning to go all out decorating for this Christmas, people reacted with horror. "But it's Max's first Christmas" they would say. "But he's nine months old and won't remember a damn thing" I would reply. That display of logic never just caused people to shake their head in sadness.
Besides, we are spending Christmas out of town with my in-laws. I'm pretty sure their house will look like Santa's workshop and it will be enough to keep Max from crying to his therapist in 30 years. "Everything sucks because Mother didn't love me enough. She barely decorated for my first Christmas…"
So hear I sit next to the glow of our fake, spindly Christmas tree doing all my Christmas shopping via Amazon (stores this season make me look for the nearest clock tower). And I'm happy. This year, I'm enjoying the holidays my way- focused on my family our cozy home. I'm not worried about the perfect gift or stressing over the lack of festive garland draped on the staircase. I'm going to relax, drink a few mugs of Weight Watchers friendly hot chocolate and enjoy the holidays instead of freaking out over creating the perfect First Christmas for my son.
I'm dreaming of a simple Christmas.
9 comments:
More power to you. How is Max supposed to have a good first Christmas if his mother has gone bat$%!# insane dealing with crazy holiday shoppers? I did about 75% of my shopping on Amazon.
Lucky! With three dudes who are well trained in holiday traditions and decor, I've no hope of avoiding a fully lit Christmas! Good luck with yours. I came over form Mama Kat's!
Yup! We have an amazon PRIME account. FREE 2 day shipping on almost EVERYTHING.
Hi freaking five girl! Way to take back the holidays. It's about way more than perfect presents and fabu decor. I'm just working on a bunch of my shopping and I'm with ya on the dollar store decor. Ho ho ho to us!
I'm right there with you Laura, except we did get a real tree. A tree that has been sitting in my front room undecorated since Thanksgiving. I'll decorate it one of these days. Gifts will be bought online and I had good intentions of getting Kieran a nice stocking from Pottery Barn with his name on it, but I slacked and now they are sold out. Our kids can do therapy together.
AMEN!!! Max will not remember any of his Christmases until he's about 5 or so, and then when he's older he'll look at pictures and all he'll care about is "why did you dress me in such dorky outfits?" :) We haven't put up a single decoration, and since we are swamped with things to do this weekend and next week I am having my wisdom teeth out it's not likely any decorations will go up. Oh well, no kids and no one to see them anyway.
Absolutely! A stressed out mother will make more of a memory on a small one than the tinsel and trimmings of the holiday. You're the one to remember, and I think you did AWESOME to take back the holiday and leave behind the crazy expectations and stress. :-)
I have a baby Max as well only he is only 7 weeks. I did not decorate this christmas either - no money and no room with the new baby in my tiny house. I am following you now and have your button.
I loathe shopping even when it's not Christmas. Therefore I heart Amazon and their free shipping and their huge selection and their reviews to make the selection process easier. I think I purchased 85% of our Christmas gifts on Amazon.
jenny@mamanash.com
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