With all the pictures, movies, Pinterest pins, it is really easy to feel like you aren’t doing enough this time of year. It’s easy to feel like you are doing Christmas wrong if you don’t have the perfect tree with all the handmade ornaments or desserts in the shape of Santa hats.

Yes I want the holidays to be magical for George, but I also think that we need to have a balance…or some sleep.

I have to accept that our Christmas will be perfect even if it isn’t what everyone else is doing. I don’t have to be “that” parent that does it all.

I think we all have an opportunity to make our own perfect Christmases, whatever traditions that may mean for you. In my opinion, none of them are wrong as long as we are choosing joy in those moments.

So here are a few Christmas traditions we won’t be doing because they will drain my joy.

And that’s ok.

• Elf On The Shelf-I just honestly can’t get behind this. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy everyone else’s creativity. I am amused daily at what people come up with. I, however, won’t be taking the time to be the mastermind behind hiding a plastic doll every night.
• Santa magic-George is really too young for this anyway, but we won’t be making fake footprints, putting out milk, or etc. I don’t mind Santa-I have dozens of Santa figurines around our house. However, I want George to be mindful of the spirit of Christmas and not be wrapped up in the hype and commercialism that Santa brings. Also I am not good at storytelling so keeping up with this charade would be EXHAUSTING. I am impressed with people who have elaborate stories and gimmicks with their kids. I just wouldn’t be able to keep up. We also didn’t see Santa this year…While it is cute to have pictures of George with Santa, here are my thoughts-a) when you think about putting your kid in the lap of a stranger that is weird, b) I have no desire to stand in line with a toddler, and c) we didn’t plan ahead, plain and simple. Anyway, I didn’t grow up believing in Santa, and I still love the holiday season just fine. I know I am a Grinch.
• Handmade ornaments of any sort. You would think with my crafty spirit, I would be all about homemade stuff. But, we won’t be having any footprint salt-dough or Popsicle things in our house. I will be honest; I do not have time for it. Last year I thought about it on Christmas day but didn’t have enough energy in me to do something about it. And that is my sentiment this year as well. I only get a few days off, and I don’t want to spend it forcing everyone to do crafts. I am not against doing them, just against organizing them. So unless someone else initiates getting the supplies and carves out a time to do it, these types of holiday things are not happening in our house. Sorry grandparents for not getting you George’s hand-print.
• Gingerbread Houses. I have never ever gotten these…Why are we wasting so much candy? If George wants to do that, he can do that on someone else’s dime. We eat candy in our house.

George still is too young to really get what is going on, so we haven’t really started any “traditions” yet. The only thing I have started is reading about the Nativity. We have a great pop up book that he loves interacting with as I tell him about Jesus. Next year when George is two and a half, we will be ready to really start some traditions like cookie decorating, matching pajamas, and driving around to see lights.

This is the first time we haven’t been traveling all over the place for the holidays. I will actually wake up in my OWN bed on Christmas day, which is definitely a Christmas miracle considering all the traveling we have done over the years. We also have a tree of our own for the first time ever which is a big step in the holiday magic in my opinion. We are just trying to enjoy the little things and not make a production out of every moment which I feel is what is expected of us as parents.

I don’t need that stress. George doesn’t need us that stressed to be perfect. We each just need to find those things that bring us joy, not the internet joy. The first Christmas happened in a dirty stable, so I feel ok that we don’t have lights outside of our house. I am choosing joy because this is my best. And I think the best thing we can teach George is how to be joyful.

So we are going to do us, and we will celebrate you doing you with your creativity over there without being jealous of each other. There are many ways to make this season Merry and Bright, so let’s not put pressure on each other to measure up to a Pinterest perfect Christmas.

The only thing I can guarantee is that there will always be lots of pictures. Because I am totally “THAT” mom.

And that’s ok.

What are traditions that you love this time of year? Are there any that you are a Grinch about too and won’t do?