I Didn’t Grow Up With Christmas… So Why Am I Doing All the Work Now?

(A very honest mom confession) 

I didn’t grow up with a Christmas tree, presents, stockings, or any of this holiday magic. 
December 25th was just another regular day. 
No Santa. No reindeer. No “Ho Ho Ho.” 
Honestly, my parents were LUCKY — I didn’t know anything about it so they didn’t have to do all this work I’m doing now. 

And every year, right around December, I tell them, 
“We’re decorating the Christmas tree, I’m busy shopping,” 
and every year — without fail — they ask: 

“Why?” 

God understands them. 
I still don’t. 

So I explain Christmas to them… AGAIN. 
“It’s a celebration. People put trees inside their houses. Yes, inside. Some are real, some are plastic. They decorate them with shiny balls and little figures and put a star or an angel on top.” 

And every single time their mouths open like it’s the first time they’re hearing it. 
Every. Single. Year. 

They pretend they don’t know, they pretend they don’t care… 
and then BOOM — on Christmas Day — they send us presents like they’ve been planning for months. 
Immigrant parents are comedy. 

But honestly? 
I love this part of my life now. 
I love adopting new traditions, and I love watching my parents slowly learn them from far away. It’s like we are all growing together, even in different countries. 

But let me complain a little too — because motherhood is not Pinterest. 

🎄 The Christmas Mom Overtime Nobody Warned Me About 

Some people think decorating a Christmas tree is fun. 
I thought that too… before I had kids. 

Now? 
It feels like I am doing unpaid overtime for Santa. 

Buying the tree? A headache. 
Buying decorations and presents in this economy? A bigger headache. 
Cleaning the house afterwards? A full-blown migraine. 

And let’s not forget: 

• The kids fighting over ONE single ornament even though we have 200 

• Someone crying because I bought the “wrong” present 

• The mess that looks like a glitter bomb exploded 

• The “Mom, I changed my Wishlist” at 10 p.m. 

• Hiding gifts like a secret agent 

• Forgetting where I hid them 

Parenting is overtime work. Christmas is double overtime. 

But then something magical happens… 

 ✨ The Moment the Lights Turn On 

After all the chaos, after all the complaining, after the kids fight over who gets the red ball and who gets the gold one… we finally turn on the tree lights. 

And suddenly the whole mood changes. 

The tree glows. 
The house feels warm. 
My electric fireplace is fake, but the vibe is real. 
The Christmas music plays, and for a minute, everything is soft, cozy, and perfect. 

I watch my kids stepping back, hands on their hips, looking SO proud of what they created. 
Their eyes shine. 
Their faces glow. 

And that’s when it hits me: 

This is not for me. This is for them. 
This is the childhood I didn’t have. 
This is the magic I never experienced. 
This is me breaking cycles, building memories, and creating joy. 

Even if it comes with mess, noise, stress, and a tree that leans to the left. 

 ❤️ The Love Part Always Wins 

Yes, I complain. 
Yes, I’m tired. 
Yes, sometimes I look at the decorations and ask, “Is this fun? You tell me.” 

But still… 

The happiness in my kids’ eyes outnumbers all the stress. 
The magic in the room is worth every headache. 
The feeling after the tree is up — that warm, glowing, peaceful moment — is something I wouldn’t trade for anything. 

So if you didn’t grow up with Christmas… 
if you feel overwhelmed… 
if you feel like you’re doing too much… 

Do it anyway. 
Do it messy. 
Do it tired. 
Do it complaining. 
Do it with a fake fireplace and a crooked tree. 

Because the memories you’re creating now matter. 
Because your kids will remember the magic, not the stress. 
Because sometimes the love part really does outnumber the hate part. 

And because — let’s be honest — 
moms are the real Santa, but without the elves. 

10 Christmas Hacks for Moms Who Are Doing Their Best (and Also Losing Their Minds) 

• Let the kids decorate the bottom half of the tree. 
  You handle the top. They handle the chaos zone. Peace restored. 

• Use shatterproof ornaments. 
  Your nerves will thank you. Your floor will thank you. Your soul will thank you. 

• Pick one or two wrapping paper styles for ALL gifts. 
  Aesthetic ✔️ 
  No “my paper is prettier!” battles ✔️ 
  Mom wins ✔️ 

• Hide the gifts in the laundry basket until you wrap them. 
  Kids will NEVER check there. Laundry is the one place they fear. 

• Accept the tree will be crooked. 
  If it stays upright for more than 24 hours, that is already a Christmas miracle. 

• Buy the big gifts on Black Friday. 
  Leave the tiny fillers for your traditional December 23rd breakdown. 

• Give each kid a “choice box.” 
  Three ornaments each. Limited choices = limited screaming. 

• Keep a giant garbage bag next to you during unwrapping. 
  Throw wrapping paper in as you go. This is elite-level survival. 

• Keep the tree & ornament boxes close by. 
  Because on Dec 26, you’ll want everything back in those boxes immediately, as if Christmas never happened. 

• Give each kid one decorating responsibility. 
  “Here are your 15 ornaments. Put them on THIS side. Do not look at your sibling.” 
  This reduces crying by 50% and increases pride by 100%. 

  I didn’t grow up with Christmas trees or gifts, so every year I’m learning this holiday the same time my kids do. Maybe that’s why it feels special, even when it’s stressful. I complain, yes — but I’m also grateful that I get to build something new for them, something I never had.