Christmas is my favorite time of the year!! I grew up with everything I needed, but my mom was a single mom of seven kids, so we never got anything we “wanted” for Christmas– we always got needs, like underwear, socks, etc. But we still LOVED Christmas– it was the one time of year that everything felt “right.” I always think of my mom blasting Harry Connick, Jr Christmas CD’s/tapes at while we all put up our tree November 1st… I carry those things on with my family… even before we had kids, my hubby and I would put up our tree Nov. 1…. he hated putting it up that early at first, but the idea of not just seemed so wrong….

On Christmas Eve, Mama always had a big tin of the three-flavored popcorn, read “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and gave us one gift (always pajamas!). I love to carry on these traditions, but I’ve always only done it with my baby brothers and sisters until now…. this year, my own babies are 2 and 3, so I am beginning to think about them barely remembering these early years and I want them to have the same memories/feelings I do! I don’t want Christmas to be about wants, but since I’m a little more fortunate than my mom was financially, I want to give them wants…. My biggest stress factor with Christmas (maybe- my ONLY one?!?) is thinking, “If I do this, will my kids understand the real reason for the season, or are they going to associate Christmas with gifts?” I want to raise my kids with the same beliefs I was raised with, but I’m so nervous that it’s not going to work, because so much emphasis is placed on gift-giving, etc……I knew I couldn’t possibly be the only one with holiday stress— as much as I hate that anyone else stresses over small things, I’m comforted in knowing that I’m not alone!