A Moms Holiday Survivial Guide

You Can NOT Do It All

Thanksgiving is over and we are moving on into the thick of the Holiday Season: Christmas & New Years! During the holidays, things get chaotic and even stressful, especially for us Mama’s who try to keep it all together! The first piece of advice Mamas is, YOU CAN NOT DO IT ALL! Make a list, stay diligent and prioritize the things that are the most important. To-do-lists are the best way to keep your stress down while accomplishing the most.

 
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Shopping

Not all people love Christmas shopping and that’s ok! Right now, there is still plenty of time to get it all done, so don’t put it off. Start buying presents weekly and wrapping them as you buy them. This will save you a lot of time the week of Christmas. If you have little ones like I do, find a good place to hide them. I even have to use special wrapping paper, separate from the rest of the paper I use, for my son that is from SANTA. LOL.
 
 

Build A Survival Kit

Just like on your wedding day, create a “survival kit” for the holidays. If you are ready for the unexpected, the more productive you can be. For example, having snacks or activities for the kids will allow you more time running errands.

 
For Your Car – Snacks, drinks, extra clothes for the kids, winter gear, a game or two, first aid kit & of course wet wipes.

 
For Your Purse/Bag – Snacks, wipes, activities for the kids, your to-do-list (if not on your phone), Tide stain stick, hand sanitizer and a spot for receipts and coupons.
 
 
 
 

Prepare for Holiday Events Ahead of Time

Everyone’s holiday traditions look a little different. Some people have to travel far, some go to multiple places on the actual day or throughout the month. No matter what your holiday season looks like, we all have the ability to prepare ahead of time.
Simple things to do ahead of time:

• Plan meals ahead of time.
• Prep as much food as possible the day before an event.
• Pack bags for yourself and the kids ahead of time. For example, my family usually goes to my in-laws and my family’s on the same day. I pack a bag for the kiddos in preparation as well for myself. On holidays we tend to dress up a bit for at least the first half of the day so I bring a change of more comfy clothes for the second half of the day as well as pajamas for the kiddos because we usually don’t return home until late.
• Get Plenty of rest, take your vitamins, and use your essential oils. Last thing you need is for your family to be sick over the holidays.
• Pack presents in a tote that you can then re-pack when you leave with presents received.
• If your kids are at the napping age, try to at least allow for some downtime for them, bring a pack-n-play, pacifier, blankets or whatever else you may need.

Be Flexible

When you are a mom, you always have to allow for some level of flexibility. However, when it comes to the holidays I believe you need to allow for a little more. Am I right ladies!? The best advice I can give and what has worked for me is to be flexible. If you are 5 minutes late, don’t sweat it, your family should understand. Second, if your kids don’t want to eat their food, don’t make them. It is one day in the grand scheme of things, they won’t starve to death and it just isn’t worth the battle. On holiday’s there is a lot going on, a bunch of extra excitement, they are over tired and so on. Be a little more patient and even a little lenient.
 

Happy Holidays

I hope hearing some of these ideas and suggestions help you during the holiday season so you can have the best time possible. Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!