By Krystal Sieben 
Is it just me, or were the holidays always so much? This is a serious question. Like, I often wonder, Did my grandma feel this overwhelmed by all the extra stuff that comes with the holidays? I mean, I’m sure mothers always carried a bit of an extra mental load around the holidays with shopping and preparing holiday meals, but modern holiday mothering feels like the wheels have come off the bus.
A few years ago, I found myself actually dreading Christmas. Not the holiday itself, but all the obligations that came with it. The gift giving and party attending and food making . . . I just felt over it. In my defense, both my husband and I have divorced parents. It’s our annual tradition to watch the movie Four Christmases on Christmas night—and to have a completely unenjoyable holiday racing around to make sure everyone feels seen and included in our Christmas. Or this was our tradition until one magical Christmas five years ago when we all got the stomach flu.
The stomach flu with a 1-, 3-, and 5-year-old at Christmas is awful, right? Wrong. It was the most delightful surprise Santa and the elves could have ever bestowed on my little family. Here’s why . . .
We couldn’t do anything. Like anything. No big gift openings. No fighting in the car on the way to three different Christmases. No fancy meals to make. No getting dressed up. A couple of kind grandparents visited us in the front yard with smiles and homemade soup. We had a cozy Christmas, just us five and our dogs. We watched Home Alone (and Home Alone 2 . . . and Home Alone 3). We rested. We watched it snow outside. We took a short walk when our sicknesses subsided. We took a drive to look at Christmas lights for something to do. And, in a true Christmas miracle, this mama found her Christmas joy again, and a new tradition was born. The best Christmas tradition I could hope for: no more frantic Christmases.
We have stayed home every year since. Anyone is welcome to come on over. We will wear Christmas pajamas all day. We will serve everyone’s meal of choice, ranging from tacos to pizza to pancakes. We will give three total gifts to each child or one large gift and some stocking items. We will make cookies. Spend time with our pets. Admire our child-decorated tree that is lopsided and droopy and perfect. We will watch Home Alone, and maybe the sequels.
Most importantly, we will choose our little family’s happiness over all the stress and pressures that come with making sure everyone else is seen and tended to on the Christmas holiday.
Easter egg hunt? I’ll get my kids there. Halloween party? Don’t need to ask me twice. Fourth of July BBQ? Yep! But Christmas? Not anymore. This one is saved just for us.
by Holly Dignen 
by Sandy Brannan 
