It seems like every year right as the holiday’s inch closer I feel that same cloud looming over my head. In those moments when my four boys start declaring all the things in the world that would be “so cool to have this year!” or mutterings like:
“Everyone else we know has an Xbox system, nobody plays the Wii anymore, mom”
or “Did you hear about the kid at school that got an iPad for his birthday?” and don’t forget, “I think I might be the only kid without an iPod touch, mom!”
This is when the lump in the bottom of my stomach begins to form. I get the overwhelming feeling of dread, thinking about all the stress of the holidays and everything the season brings along with it
For many of us, we can start feeling a little blue. This time of year can make parents feel a great deal of pressure to “keep up with the Santa next door” by overspending and getting into a financial hole while losing sight of what the true meaning of the holiday is really about.
So how can we survive the stress without having that lump in our stomach overtake our entire body? When we let stress get the best of us this time of year, we end up missing all the fun we could have had with our family because we were too busy stressing out! Kids are not immune to our stress either.
Here are 5 holiday tips to beat the holiday blues:
Change your family focus
By focusing more on the season of giving and celebrating the love of family and friends (and not getting the most expensive gift for each child), it can be a wonderful opportunity to focus on the joy the season can bring.
Consider having your kids collect some of their gently used toys that they no longer use and having them donate to the local thrift store. Or volunteer as a family at a local soup kitchen. These are great ways to teach your kids about the spirit of giving and the real meaning of Christmas.
Start new family traditions
Get creative by finding ways to scale down the spending and think outside the box! To focus more on ‘thoughtful giving’ this year, our family is starting a new holiday tradition. When the boys are buying gifts for each other we put a $5.00 spending limit on each gift. This will require them to think ahead and make a plan, get creative and visit the local dollar store, or even make or bake gifts for each other instead. They are already thinking of what they are going to do and how much fun it will be.
Take smaller gifts and put them into larger boxes
Use bright colored paper, ribbons, and bows and your children will be delighted at the visual presentation of all those brightly wrapped presents under the tree. You can use smaller, inexpensive toys and wrap them up and then put them in larger boxes, and wrap them to create a fun and joyous celebration for your kids. It won’t even matter what’s inside because they will be having so much fun!
And if they’re like my twins who loved playing with the boxes and wrapping paper more than the toys anyway! When her twins were younger, one of my twin-mom friends used to only put out Christmas themed books under the tree all season long until Christmas morning, and that would prevent the kids from always trying to guess what was inside each present and also created a visual extravaganza for her kids when seeing all the wrapped gifts under the tree for the first time!
Set a budget for each child and stick to it!
This is so hard to do when all the stores are begging you to spend, spend, spend and you see so many sales that are hard to miss! If your child is asking Santa for a really expensive toy, suggest asking for a less expensive toy that would still make them feel special and loved while not breaking the bank. Explain that everyone has to scale back this year, even at Santa’s workshop! Also, setting a budget forces you to be creative with your spending as well. Some thrift and consignment stores have amazing toys that are barely used and would bring hours of fun for your little ones without paying full price.
Reassure your twins that they are loved and cherished no matter what!
Even though people may have less this year than in the past, explain to your kids that the holidays are more about celebrating by spending time with family and friends and creating life-long memories. Tell them that they will always have a family that celebrates the season no matter what is happening around them and they are loved and cherished.
As always, the entire staff here at Twins Magazine would like to take a moment to thank all of you for your continued loyalty and support for our magazine. We have had to face numerous challenges and obstacles this past year but wanted to let you all know how much your kind words have meant to us. We truly appreciate the wonderful and supportive network of parents of multiples everywhere!
Happy Holidays! Here’s wishing you and your family a wondrous season filled with love and joy!
Written by Christa Reed – Former Twins Magazine Editor-in-Chief
