Christmas fell on Monday this week so we are doing Mom Talk Tuesday and pretending it’s Monday 😉
We had a truly fantastic Christmas here yesterday, starting at the crack of dawn of course. The kids tore through their stocking gifts as soon as we got downstairs. Then we made this fantastic Sweet and Sticky Monkey Bread which the kids devoured. (It’s fun because you can pull pieces off and it basically tastes like a cinnamon doughnut.)
After breakfast we got dressed and opened all the presents under the tree. I try really hard not to overdo it at Christmastime, but between the 3 or 4 gifts that we get them plus the ones each kid gets for each other (times the six people in our family) it does end up looking like a lot of presents! A lot of them are books, school supplies, or other useful items though.
While the kids enjoyed their gifts, John and I hit the ground running to get ready for company to arrive. It was our first time hosting Christmas and we really wanted to make it special. The prime rib roast needed three hours to cook, so we put that in as soon as our apps came out of the oven.
I always like to set the mood for a party by serving a signature drink. This time I chose a simple cranberry mimosa because of the festive color, and threw a couple frozen cranberries in to make it look even more like the holidays.
We served dinner on our fine china (only the second time we’ve used it during our 8 years of marriage). Of course I was so caught up in the moment I forgot to take any pictures!
Our guests stayed for the afternoon and into the evening, and the kids were so exhausted they actually went to sleep really easily.
A couple of my favorite moments
Looking back on our wonderful day, it is hard to pick one highlight. One of my favorite parts was seeing the kids give each other hugs unprompted after opening the gifts they gave one another. It’s so touching for me see how much they love each other.
Another highlight is when we went to put Luca to bed for the night. Most of our guests were still there, and we told him to say goodnight to everyone. Well this baby loves to give kisses, he went around the table insisting on giving every single person a kiss goodnight. When someone offered him “knuckles” he shook his head no and puckered up.
I may be biased, but I find his kisses irresistible!
We were exhausted after everyone left, but it was the best kind of exhausted following a very special day.
I came across a post that was going around Facebook that had stirred up some controversy. The topic was Christmas morning and who gives the gifts. It said something along the lines of:
“Parents: when you give your kids Christmas gifts, you should make small things from Santa and have the bigger gifts from Mom and Dad. That way, kids whose parents can’t afford big gifts won’t think that Santa only brought them small things because they are bad kids.”
Personally, this is how I already do Christmas gifts although I hadn’t thought about it from that angle before. In our house the small gifts are from Santa because that’s what fits in the stocking. All the gifts under the tree are from Mom and Dad. I won’t lie, I do enjoy the glory of being the one to give the best gifts on Christmas morning. I know other families have ALL the presents from Santa, while others don’t do Santa gifts at all.
That Facebook post did tug on my heart strings a bit. It made me question if I would change our Christmas tradition if we had previously done big gifts from Santa. To be honest I’m not sure.
I would enjoy hearing everyone’s thoughts on it, and how your family does the gift giving.
So, my Mom Talk Monday question is:
Is there any particular reason for how you do your gift giving? Would you do it differently if your child had peers who won’t receive the same type of gifts from Santa? Let’s get the conversation started!
As if parenting isn’t challenging enough from January-October, when the clock strikes 12 on November 1st parents everywhere have to deal with Kids During the Holidays. The parties, the sweets, the carols, the toy catalogs, the commercials. It’s like a Christmas bomb goes off all around our children.
Like most parents, I try hard all year not to spoil my kids. I try to cultivate a spirit of gratitude and not entitlement. I long to embrace minimalism. When November and December roll around, I don’t want to undo all of that by going over-the-top for the holidays.
Kids are a marketer’s dream and it’s natural for them to want everything they see on TV. They’ll also see plenty of images of Christmas trees with presents just pouring out from underneath it. They may think that is what’s normal, and they’ll develop huge expectations. Here are some ways to manage their expectations and keep your sanity around the holidays.
1. Keep the lists small
Ever hand your kid a toy catalog and tell them to circle what they want, only to get it back with 90% of the toys circled?
Children are literal, and if you ask them what they want for Christmas they may decide they want ALL THE THINGS. And once they’ve asked for it, their expectation is that they’re going to get it.
Don’t leave it so open-ended for them.
Instead of encouraging my kids to add everything in their wildest dreams to their Christmas list, I try to get them to think of a few things they truly want. We’ll write down a list of 3. Then when they see a commercial for a blanket in the shape of a shark that they just HAVE to have, I’ll refer back to their list and ask which thing they want to replace. Typically they look at the list and within moments the shark blanket is no longer a necessity.
2. Be upfront when the answer is no
Call me a mean mom all you want, but there are some things I’m just not going to give my child even if it’s the only thing he wants for Christmas. I don’t want my kids to have video games, so if they beg for an Xbox I know it’s not going to happen. Same thing goes for a puppy. (I already have 4 kids who act like animals, so as far as pets go- just no.)
It is better to disappoint your child on whatever random day they ask for these things rather than to disappoint them on Christmas morning. As soon as they mention something that off-limits for you, just be straightforward and tell them they won’t be getting that so they should choose something else. I like to be honest and give them the reason behind the no:
That is very expensive and we don’t spend that much on Christmas gifts.
Kids often get hurt using those toys so we won’t be playing with those at our house.
We don’t do video games because too much screen time isn’t good for kids.
“But Santa will get it for me!”
If your kid is smart they will try to pull the Santa card. We stick with the story that Santa knows all, including household rules. And Santa would never give a gift that breaks a household rule.
Sorry, son. Even if you’re on the nice list, Santa still won’t bring you a puppy.
3. Make it about giving
All of us parents hope our kids will get in the spirit of giving, but that’s not necessarily something that comes naturally for children. To shift their thinking from themselves to others, I make a concerted effort to individually plan out each kid’s own Christmas shopping. Each one has a brainstorming session where they jot down ideas of what they think their family members will like, then we shop for it, they wrap it (with assistance) and make a card.
Whether they are spending their own money or not isn’t really the point, but the thought that goes into the gift is. It truly warms my heart to hear one of my children deliberate on which gift their sibling will like more. My 7 year old son once stood in Target for 15 minutes holding two My Little Ponies in his hands coming up with different reasons why his little sister would like one more than the other. When Christmas morning came, he watched her open that gift with more interest than you’d ever imagine a 7 year old boy can- all because he wanted to see her reaction.
We Moms take great joy in seeing our kids happy with their Christmas gifts, don’t deny them the same feeling of joy!
This year in addition to having our kids give gifts to their siblings, they will also be shopping for Grandma and Grandpa, their teachers, and children in need who put lists on the angel tree.
4. Focus on experiences
Prepare your kids in advance for how the holiday will go. Let them know they may or may not get all the presents they wanted, but they can be sure they’ll get to have a special day with family. Talk about how they’ll get to decorate Christmas cookies and leave some out for Santa. Get them planning what they’ll do with their cousins when they come to town.
Do you always watch a special Christmas movie? Or go to a religious service? Make handmade ornament to put on the tree? Incorporate your children’s ideas and preferences into these holiday traditions where you can. Build excitement around these experiences. When Mom is enthusiastic about something, the rest of the family will follow.
Family time together beats a gift grub any day
5. Don’t be afraid to keep it small
While we want Christmas to be a special time for our children, some kids just can’t handle all the hoopla. You know your kids and how much it takes for them to become overstimulated. Be mindful of their needs and plan accordingly. Sticking to their daily routine or giving them a secluded place for some quiet play on Christmas will prevent an epic meltdown.
Kids with past trauma, sensory issues, ADHD, autism, anxiety or a myriad of other issues especially will need some help getting through the holidays. This article Parenting Kids Who Sabotage Big Days offers more advice about keeping the holidays small and manageable for kids who can’t handle everything that goes along with a huge holiday.
With some advanced preparation, you can manage your kids’ expectations around the holidays and keep the spirit about love and togetherness instead of presents, presents, and more presents!
