Yesterday, I set out to purchase a pair of swim goggles. It’s still summer, so this should have been an easy task. With the temperature soaring to 99 degrees and the sun still shining bright past 9 PM, it certainly feels like swim season is still alive and kicking. Kids are still running around in their bathing suits, ready to dive into the water until bedtime.
Instead of finding goggles, I stumbled upon a red and green gift bag filled with an overwhelming sense of anxiety—yes, the kind that comes with the holiday season. As I tried to browse through aisles filled with water toys and beach gear, I was met with shelves crammed with composition books, colorful markers, spiral notebooks, and shiny lunch boxes.
In the very next aisle, a clerk was stacking pumpkin-shaped buckets for Halloween, right next to garlands of autumn leaves. And behind her? I could have sworn another employee was setting up a faux Christmas tree alongside a hand-carved Nativity scene.
What on earth is going on?
We’re still over four months away from the arrival of Santa Claus, but already, I feel the weight of Christmas stress creeping in. And if you think visiting a local craft store will offer any relief, think again. Just a week ago, the store was overflowing with patriotic decor, and now it looks like I’ve walked into the North Pole.
Even my Pinterest feed is not safe; I went searching for refreshing summer cocktail recipes and instead was bombarded with Elf on the Shelf ideas— in July!
This is simply unacceptable.
It seems like the moment we send our kids back to school in the fall, the Christmas shopping frenzy kicks off. Halloween barely registers on our calendars anymore, and Thanksgiving is quickly forgotten. Christmas comes barreling in, practically starting in September.
If you’re not done with your shopping by October 1, you’re already behind. By November 1, my entire December is typically packed with Christmas events, school plays, cookie swaps, and holiday parties. It’s enough to make anyone wish for a tranquil holiday spirit, but instead, I’m still trying to figure out where I stored my beach gear while my neighbor hangs up string lights.
To exacerbate the situation, I received my first Christmas card in the mail the day after Thanksgiving last year. I did a little math and realized that this family had their act together long before I even finished gathering school supplies!
For many of us, a significant portion of the holiday to-do list falls squarely on our shoulders. Shopping, cooking, planning, and hosting—everything defaults to mom. It’s not that I resent these responsibilities; it’s just happening way earlier than I’m ready for—if I’m ready at all.
The pressure to create the perfect Christmas for my family used to hit me around December 20. Now, while grilling hot dogs in the summer heat, I find myself mentally crafting a grocery list for a gingerbread house decorating party that’s still 18 weeks away. No thanks!
This year, I’m taking a stand. I’m going to embrace one season at a time and allow myself the space to enjoy each month fully—without the looming stress of the holidays. I’ll be savoring summer popsicles with my kids until the very last day of summer and will not even entertain thoughts of pumpkins or Christmas decorations until I’m good and ready.
I will steer clear of holiday aisles until temperatures dip below 40 degrees, and I refuse to conjure up any kind of Christmas to-do list until I have properly stored away all remnants of Thanksgiving. Stressing about the holidays months in advance? Not this year!
Who’s with me on this, fellow moms?
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Summary
The holiday season stress seems to arrive earlier each year, and many moms find themselves overwhelmed by the expectations and responsibilities that come with it. This article advocates for taking a step back and enjoying each season as it comes, rather than succumbing to the pressures of early holiday preparations.
Keyphrase: “holiday stress management”
Tags: [“home insemination kit”, “home insemination syringe”, “self insemination”]