As I sit here trying to get motivated to start a new year, I can’t help but feel like my mind is foggy and I can’t seem to focus. I take a drink of water and then it hits me, I have the dreaded Christmas hangover.
This isn’t your normal hangover where you take some Advil, order some Casey’s Pizza, and power through it by sleeping for three hours straight. This is a whole different level.
If I’m being completely honest, I love everything about Christmas, including the pressures of making sure it is a magical and memorable time for my family. What most people don’t talk about is the pressures that come after the Christmas season is done.
I’m talking about the sadness of taking down all the decorations, organizing all the new toys, the expectation of setting a New Year’s Resolution, and the fact that this all normally falls on the shoulders of the mom.
Decorations
My favorite part about decorating for the holidays is setting up the Christmas tree with my husband and kids. This was the first year my 3-year-old boys were excited to help. Max was all in, and the look on his face when he got to hang ornaments was priceless.
The big question regarding decorations is always “When do you take them down?” I like to be organized and these last few days of break seemed like a great opportunity to get it all done. I started to take down a few ornaments and Max instantly ran over to me and started bawling. After seeing his reaction, I thought to myself what’s the rush, why rush to take down the “glow” that a Christmas tree makes?
Organizing
Sometimes I wonder if toy companies delight in making as many pieces as possible when brainstorming a new toy just to annoy parents. During the week between Christmas and New Year’s, my brain is on high alert to not lose any of the new toys. I also want to find a new place for everything. Somewhere that is easily accessible to my kids as well as out of the way from anyone stepping on it and causing a meltdown.
I like to be organized (did I mention that already?) so of course the day after Christmas we load everyone up and make a trip to Menards. We buy two 4×4 cubicle shelves for toy storage to keep my brain from going into overdrive. A few hours later I have every action figure, offroad vehicle, lego, etc organized.
By the time New Year’s Eve rolls around my mind is still foggy, despite having mostly everything organized in my house. I see all of these moms who have set a resolution, made a goal, or chosen a new word as their mantra for the upcoming year. While I am not shaming them, I like to wait a few days or even a few months into the year before I even attempt that.
So whether you take down your ornaments the day after Christmas or on Valentine’s day, if you have toys missing within minutes of opening them, or if you have an idea board helping you determine your New Year’s goal, here’s to crushing that hangover and starting the year off with a clear mind.
