It’s the most magical time of the year. Cliché, yes. Accurate, also yes. For moms, it can also be the most stressful time of the year. We are the teacher-gifting, frantic mover of the elves. The late-night wrappers and stashers. The travel-planner, Christmas-card-sender, Pinterest-perfect performer of all the things. We are the creators of the holiday “magic,” and that is no easy feat.
I hold deep gratitude for the title of Mom and for the many ways I must step up to be the mother I aspire to be. However, it does get daunting. This time of year, the expectations triple right when we are running out of gas. The sprint to a finish line that gets further away yearly — thanks, social media (*insert eye roll*) — leaves moms with no magic for themselves.
READ: Burned Out for the Holidays
Whether you are bah-humbugging your way through or could fully cosplay St. Nick himself with your Christmas cheer, just know that wherever you are on that spectrum, it is enough.
Some days, the wins are loud and obvious. Other days, they’re quiet things: choosing patience even when you’re tired, trying again after a hard moment, doing something for the millionth time just for the joy, or simply getting everyone to bedtime in one piece. All of this counts and is part of the “magic.”
The effort, even when it feels clumsy or chaotic, is magic because it is rooted in the deepest love. The magic isn’t in the perfection, or the toys, or the matching pajamas that won’t arrive on time (no matter what the shipping date said). Ask your child about three toys they got last year. They likely won’t remember. The magic is in the little moments of laughter, the hugs, the accidental traditions, the feelings of safety, excitement, and love.
So if you’re tired, rest. If you’re overwhelmed, simplify. If the joy feels a little harder to access this year, give yourself grace. You don’t have to carry the entire holiday on your shoulders to make it meaningful.
You are doing beautifully, even if it feels like barely holding it together. You are creating memories in ways you can’t always see. And you deserve a little of the magic, too. You’re more than the tasks you complete. You are more than enough.
