Surviving the Holidays

Yeah, I know - awful title. But as a full time working mom, that's how I feel.

I don't get time off during the holidays, only the actual day itself (Christmas Day, New Years Day). Any other time I want to take off cuts into my precious vacation time. And I'm saving that up for the beach!

It seems like Moms have a lot on their plates. We coordinate:

• Office parties and gift exchanges
• Neighborhood parties and gift exchanges
• Neighbor gifts
• Family gifts
• Decorating the tree
• Decorating the rest of the house
• Supervising the Hubster while he puts up lights outside (he has a habit of falling off ladders and injuring himself....)
• Baking 
• Baking
• Baking
• Watching Christmas movies
• Sending out Christmas Cards

Just writing this list is making me tired! And stressed. 

 

And there's always the "trying not to get sick" game during the holidays. Everywhere I go, people are coughing and sneezing. We wash our hands constantly and use hand sanitizer if we can't find a bathroom. 

 

We avoid touching stair railings, door knobs etc. You would be surprised how handy your long sleeve shirt or coat sleeve comes in handy to put that over your hand so you don't have to touch railings and door knobs.

 

We also have to worry about food allergies. With all of the work and neighborhood potlucks, I have to carefully scan for seafood and tree nuts.

 

If I'm not sure what's in something, I just won't eat it! 

 

Middle Son says, "I don't trust anyone." So, he will only eat desserts that I have made, because he knows they won't contain tree nuts. 

  

And since we have both have had accidental cross contaminations, we are really careful when someone else has made the food.

So, with all that going on, how do we enjoy the season?

We love to see Christmas lights throughout the neighborhood. 

And listen to Christmas music. Oh Bing Crosby, it just isn't Christmas without your music.

And I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I have been watching the sappy Christmas movies on our streaming service! (Yeah, you can tell in the first few minutes how it's going to end. I know, I know.)

I look for at least one good thing every day. Yesterday was a beautiful orange sunrise. Today was our stunning snow capped mountains. 

How do you survive the holidays?