Hear me out.
Christmas is my favorite holiday (well, it was).
6.5 years ago we welcomed our first child.
Christmas 2018 was the last Christmas I really feel like I enjoyed and still felt the magic.
Now?
3 kids deep.
In the middle of a recession.
Paying for rent that is over 70% of our monthly income.
All while not qualifying for any assistance.
Ya girl is stressed!
Before you come for me with “but, Ashleigh! Christmas is about time with family and being present in the moment!”
You clearly do not have children 😂
I am extremely grateful my kids are still young and they don’t want all the electronics yet.
So I’ll take that win! 🙌🏻
That being said, there are still expectations.
Expectations that Santa is coming and bringing everything on that list they both wrote.
Kennedy wanted a kitty gum ball machine?! What is that?!
For the record: it doesn’t exist!!!!
So please have your children skip looking over your shoulder to read this blog post because it ain’t gonna happen!
Thankfully, Santa was able to track down that darn gingerbread stuffy that mom foolishly said Santa would bring.
It was $5.
Mom should have bought the stuffy.
Santa came in clutch though and found the stuffy in Target in ALASKA!!!
Yes.
Alaska.
He told me!!!
So.
There’s the presents.
Then there’s every Christmas event known to man that your child is in and they both start at the same time and you are only one person still (can’t afford the cloning yet 😂).
So the sadness creeps in of letting your other kid down and creating a core trauma that will throw them into therapy.
Next, spirit days!!!!
GAAAAAHHHHH
Bless my mother because I had NO IDEA how many there were!!!
She never missed a single one too!
Super mom!
Why?!
Why are there so many spirit days during the busiest times of the year?!
Can we have a PTA meeting dedicated to axing like 50% of them?!
Shoot, I’d even be happy with 25% less.
But I’m starting at 50%.
The art of negotiation.
Let’s touch on shopping!!!
Everyone wants to plan ahead for Christmas shopping.
It’s a great pipe dream.
But a dream nonetheless.
Especially in this economy!
Lastly, Christmas break.
Three weeks?!
THREE?!
I swear schools hate us parents 😂
I’m kidding.
I love my children, I do.
That being said, both of us work.
We don’t have time to plan all the amazing activities some parents plan.
We’re tired.
We’re broke.
We’re done by the start of week 2.
I can deal with the first 2 weeks.
Then the kids get bored.
The drama queens come out RAGING and claim “you never let us do anything fun! You’re the worst mom!”
I could go on about how unhappy the “happiest time of the year” is.
But that wouldn’t fit the theme of “I Get To…”
So let me tell you this.
I get to be stressed.
I get to be worn out from doing grocery deliveries.
I get to deliver Christmas magic.
I get to spend 3 weeks with my kids who I love and who also make me want to take a sticky sock vacation.
I get to see the joy in their eyes on Christmas morning.
I get to relive the Christmas mornings of my childhood.
I get to sit back and think wow, we managed to pull of another Christmas despite it all!
That’s the gift of Christmas.
It’s weeks of planning to end up at one day.
One singular moment.
One more core memory unlocked.
WHAT A GIFT IT IS!
So, as the countdown to Christmas continues, I encourage you to try and change your “I Have To’s” into “I Get To’s!”
Unleash your inner child and reflect back onto those sneaking out of your beds too early moments on Christmas Day just to take a peek at Santa’s magic.
God speed, my friend.
You’re the best parent your child could ever hope for.
Make that Christmas magical again 😘
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