AHHHHH the holidays. My favorite time of year. Great food, warm cozy clothes, Christmas lights, Starbucks seasonal lattes … and I could go on. However, my favorite season has now turned into this stressful, undeniable, unavoidable debate of “Do we visit your family or mine?”
During pre-baby bliss, traveling from family to family and party to party was awesome! Even with one baby it was pretty manageable.
Then baby girl No. 2 came and it seemed there was more time spent traveling than enjoying the holidays.
For years my husband and I battled … “We will go here for Thanksgiving and then there for Christmas, then we will alternate next year.” That plan stinks and never works out very well, because let’s face it … Meme and Papa want their grandkids. It’s in their DNA to spoil and feed them. And did I mention the Santa photos that must be witnessed? The traumatizing Santa experience happens not once, but twice a year.
Each year I was left with guilt and regret of letting someone down. Whether it be my kids or friends and family, my standard response became, “We’ll see you next year!”
So what’s a mama to do?
I realized I wanted my kids to experience the holidays like I did growing up! Thanksgiving at home. Relaxed. Thankful. Waking up in our own house on Christmas, snuggled up in our jammies, not having to stress about going anywhere.
This year with our third baby girl in tow, I look forward to starting family traditions of staying home for the holidays. Friends and family can come visit us. But as for me, I’ll be in my rightfully earned Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer jammies, baking cookies.
Although the honorary Santa pictures are here to stay.
