Even before I had a kid, I cannot remember ever having a holiday that didn’t involve a lot of hustle and bustle. From navigating crowded malls for last-minute gifts, to making sure I “popped by” what felt like everyone in the free world’s home for a visit, the holidays were nonstop. When I did finally have a kid, the crazy kicked up even more. My son didn’t just make Christmas more magical for my husband and myself, he made it magical for everyone else – and everyone felt entitled to some of that magic all season long. We were running to multiple breakfasts with Santa so various family members could be there, visiting so many houses, doing cookie days, and in general just running ourselves ragged.
It was lovely, and so reaffirming to be surrounded by that love, I won’t lie, that it sucked a little of the magic of it for me and my husband. Christmas has felt like a chore since becoming parents. But now that the world has come to a screeching halt, and we’re being forced to slow down, I have to admit, I’m kind of happy we have to hole up at home.
Finding the magic
To be clear, I’m not saying I don’t miss my loved ones. I desperately do. It’s been nine months of staying home with no significant contact, I am absolutely ready to get back to normal. But getting to slow down around the holidays feels like a genuine gift, and one I don’t want to take lightly.
The hustle and bustle
Last year, I was running around so much, I couldn’t wrap a single gift until Christmas Eve. I dropped my kid off at daycare (go ahead and judge) and laid out a dining room table’s worth of gifts – some of which I was purchasing at 10:45 p.m. the night before. After clobbering together some poorly wrapped gifts, my husband and I prepped the house for guests. Guests came and stayed (and stayed and stayed) to the point where we were up until 2 a.m. building the big gift for our kid. We were up three hours later, speeding through presents and showers to get to our next destination.
By the time we got home, we all but collapsed on our couch, too tired to even turn on a cheesy Christmas movie.
A huge difference
This year, as I closed my laptop and burrowed into my couch with my coffee after completing literally all of my shopping by the first week of December, I can’t help but think… this is kind of nice. Our decorations went up early because Thanksgiving was a bust, my holiday cards were ordered and half sent out already. I’ve made two batches of Christmas cookies already, people.
I’ve never been this ahead and… I don’t hate it.
This year's plan
And truthfully? I’m pumped for the “chill” vibe to continue on Christmas day. We’ll likely do a socially distant Christmas present drop-off, but in all likelihood, we’ll turn around, go home, and eat far too many sweets. I may read a book during my kid’s nap. I may take a nap. I mean, what is more of a Christmas miracle than that?
Things to come
I know that some people aren’t this lucky to have even the nice at-home option. There are essential workers facing a scary pandemic, There are people utterly alone. There are people we miss, and people we’ve lost. It’s been a wild year, and I don’t want to dismiss that.
But I’m holding onto hope that we will kick off a 2021 that will be far better, one where I can hug my mom at Christmas and we can get back to the hustle. For now I’m just going to savor the prospect of a calm holiday, and hope to still have a merry one.
