This is my fourth Christmas as a mom and as I survey the Tiny Humans’ Christmas haul this morning I realize what a hit the pressure to have the perfect Christmas has on my own Christmas spirit. Gone are the days of cheerfully wrapping presents a week before Christmas while peacefully sipping eggnog. Now, I find myself Christmas Eve frantically wrapping oddly shaped toy boxes listening to make sure little feet haven’t crept up behind me. Christmas morning I fret over whether I should have got my husband a bigger gift as I open the fancy piece of cookware I had been eyeing. Is it mom guilt or is it the pressure of social media.
A recent article I read has me wondering: https://www.canadianliving.com/life-and-relationships/money-and-career/article/the-average-canadian-spends-how-much-on-christmas-gifts
It is hard not to be sucked into the social media Christmas hype, trees piled high with gifts, children in matching dresses sitting sweetly on Santa’s knee. The humble brag about the husband who did his Christmas shopping at the jewellery store. Social media can be a great way to share special moments with family and friends you may not be able to see in person over the holiday season; but, what about the dark side of the social media Christmas? The credit card bills, the meltdowns as naptime routines get thrown off.
I read a facebook post recently that gave me pause, it was a plea for parents to be modest in their gifts from Santa and be aware of the fact that not all parents are able to provide new Ipads or computers from Santa. I am sure my mom lost sleep fretting about whether Lil Sis and I had the perfect Christmas but now social media seems to magnify those fears. What do you think? Does social media add to the Christmas mom stress?
Inside the Mommy Bag 