Slowing the holidays down
Posted on December 20, 2011 by FoBaM-Jamie
No matter what holiday you celebrate, there’s a good chance that you’re feeling in the thick of things right now. As the year comes to a close, we find ourselves endlessly tying up loose ends. There’s just so much to do and never enough time to get to everything AND manage a good night’s sleep. It’s so easy to get caught up in all the chaos and frenzy. Today’s guest post is a gentle but firm reminder that the holidays should be about slowing down and being with our families. It comes from guest writer Wendy Thomas – a mother of six who is always at the ready with a witty quip and a grounding life lesson. Take a moment. Read. Breathe. Slow down. Enjoy the moments and the little things. Happy holidays.
Well before Black Friday arrived (and can I just say that when I was a kid we never called it Black Friday? It was always the “Friday after Thanksgiving.”) I made the following announcement to my kids:
“As you know, it’s been a rough year here. We’ve had pets leave us, compromised health, and it’s been tough financially. Which is why this holiday season we are going to celebrate it our own way.
We can’t be at Occupy Wall Street but we can take their message of supporting local businesses to heart. This means that many of our holiday gifts are going to come from local craftsmen and small family owned stores (“Just say no to Monster High Dolls”.) We’re going to bring Christmas back home with locally made gifts (including homemade items), lots of baked goods, and a general slowing down of things so that we have time to spend with each other.
Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of presents, it’s just that the gifts this year are all going to have heart (and will support our local economy.)”
I wasn’t really sure what reaction to expect. I knew the older teens would understand what I was trying to do, they were as fed up with the insanity-provoking commercial hype as I was, but I wasn’t sure if my two youngest children, both daughters would go along.
And the blame for this rest solely on my shoulders.
Yup, I’m the mom that makes sure Christmas is perfect. I shop till I drop, I get absolutely everything that I think will make my kids happy and then I usually end up getting more. A singing reindeer? Adorable. Books that can record your voice? Into the cart they go.
I am responsible for creating my own little Christmas Frankensteins.
I waited for the fallout from the kids, but guess what? A few months of life not going the way you had expected, tends to make you grateful for things other than a bunch of toys. When two of our dogs unexpectedly died within two weeks of each other, we learned to appreciate every moment we have with our only remaining dog. No one wants another puppy for Christmas, we just want to be able to keep the one we have.
When brothers are diagnosed with a painful, progressive disease (Lyme) that make walking across a room a chore, you start appreciating your health a little more than the most current Wii game. Suddenly a walk outside with the family becomes a blessing, an accomplishment we can all cheer about.
When the kids accompany me to the grocery store each week and see how carefully I plan a menu and buy the food we will need for the following week while keeping within our budget, they realize that $40 for a plastic toy really is a lot of money.
To my relief, even the girls have agreed that things had gotten out of hand. They are all for our downsized Christmas and have been keeping themselves busy making crafts they can’t wait to give to their family and friends.
Oh, I’m not going Grinch on anyone, we’re still going to have plenty of presents but this year some of the presents might be made from feathers that have fallen off our chickens, a hat just perfect for someone that was found at a thrift store, or ornaments made from some of the pine cones found in the back woods. Or we just might sit down, truly grateful that we are together and talk about our favorite family memories while I pass around mugs of hot chocolate with candy cane stirrers and gingerbread hot from the oven.
Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons. Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens).
Top 10 Mommy Posts – See you in 2011!
Posted on December 21, 2010 by FoBaM-Jamie
For some of you, the momentous celebrations of the season have already come and gone, for others, the highlight of the holidays is still a few, frantic, days away. On this winter solstice (which also, by the way, features a full moon and a lunar eclipse – watch out for crazy kids!), we wanted to take a moment to thank you for being part of our Fans of Being a Mom world this year. Your unfailing enthusiasm, camaraderie, and sense of humor is what inspires us to do what we do. Each time we post, we are so touched by your responses. Your thoughts, tips, and encouragement mean so much to the thousands and thousands of moms who visit Fans of Being a Mom each day. You’re the reason those moms come back – the reason we come back. You’re what makes this place so special.
So, we want to thank you and wish you all the best – all the joy, magic, and love – of this holiday season. We’re signing off now until 2011 so that we can step away from our computers and enjoy these special days with our loved ones. Here’s hoping you get to do the same. And – in case you need a quick mommy fix while we’re gone – here are ten of our favorite posts from 2010.
To a happy, healthy, and rockin’ New Year!
- Your biggest fans, Meredith & Jamie
The secret of a mother’s courage – Because it takes courage of all kinds to be a mom
Motherhood from A to Z – An ode to moms and their little ones from guest writer Cindy Schieffer
Grandmother’s Journal - There is magic in the word “grandmother”
Mom Guilt and Broken Bones - A mom’s worst nightmares
Mama’s Murphy’s Laws of Motherhood – 13 irrefutable laws of motherhood
MomFAIL - We all need to know we’re not alone
Top 10 Non-PC Reasons I Love Being a Mom – We admit our guilty glee at the perks of motherhood
Mom is Forever – Truer words were never spoken
If You Give a Mom a Minute – She’ll almost get something done …
Need a Mommy Lifeline? – You asked great mom questions and author Karen Maezen Miller answered them
Image Credits, top to bottom: Still Burning, cheerytomato, jazzlog
Don’t Ever Change
Posted on December 13, 2010 by Guest
No matter which holiday you celebrate, there is a certain magic that children bring with their exuberance and unquestioning belief. Today, guest writer Wendi Brandow shares her wish that children never lost that sense of innocence and wonder.
Dont ever change, dont ever change. I whispered these words to myself as I lay snuggled up to my husband, who in turn cocooned our soon-to-be, five-year-old son. We were laying beneath a pile of blankets on top of a mountain of pillows watching The Polar Express for the tenth time since Thanksgiving. Santa had just announced who would receive the first gift of Christmas and my son erupted in a burst of applause. His wonder had gotten the best of him. It was as if he had never seen it before and he was so excited he couldnt contain himself, as if he himself would be receiving the first gift of Christmas.
More and more lately, a part of me needs to believe he will always be that innocent and filled with delight. He seems so big lately. He has grown an inch-and-a-half in the two months since he started school. He has stopped hugging me as much and needs far fewer kisses. He has also started to be judged, and not always kindly, by the opinions of others.
Holiday gifts with heart
Posted on December 7, 2010 by Guest
Today, guest writer Wendy Thomas shares a gift with us – the gift of a Highly Economical Christmas. No matter what holiday you celebrate this year, this story is sure to inspire you to remember that it’s not so much what you give as the spirit in which you give. We’ll be taking some of Wendy’s advice and creating some special holiday memories of our own.
Every year around Christmas, you start seeing stories in the newspapers of families that are struggling financially. Donations are requested and toys are collected in an effort to give families a “nice Christmas”. Last year, this spurred some discussion in our house about financial priorities, self-sacrifice, and creativity.
I wanted to prepare my kids for a tough life if that’s what came their way. I told them that Christmas was not dependent on money but on the spirit and sense of togetherness it evoked. I declared that we were going to have a “Highly Economical Christmas” where I was going to provide them with a memorable celebration that would not cost a dime. Not one little penny.
One month before Christmas I started collecting things that came to me free – two boxes of cereal samples, broken candy canes, a bag of chocolate chips, mints from a restaurant, bits of paper, decorations, and cards- and put them all into a large bag. A few days before our celebration, I pulled all the supplies out and started creating gifts and activities. What are you doing? My kids asked me. Shhh, go away, it’s a surprise, I told them as I hid my work from prying eyes. Read More…
The Photo Holiday Card
Posted on November 30, 2010 by Guest
I gave up sending holiday cards years ago, but apparently some interpid moms still make the effort. I’m not sure if I think they are crazy or superheroes. Today, guest writer Antonia Luff Tagupa shares her hysterical take on the whole holiday card scene with a true story that will either make you laugh or cringe. Enjoy!
Not everyone realizes that the holidays are a competitive sport; but moms do. Moms know full well that the first one to get her photo holiday card in the mail wins.
The design and execution of the photo holiday card is arguably the most prestigious event of the entire holiday season, winner takes all. There is some quality control, such as the number of photos on the card, and the flawlessness of each picture, but really, it’s the first one out that takes the win.
And why not? To achieve this honor means that you must have purchased the kids’ most-adorable holiday outfits back in September before they all sold out. It means that you somehow managed to get your kids into these outfits for no less than three different sittings, for an average of thirty photos each. At least one of these of these photos shoots will Read More…
