5 Things Illinois Parents Need to Stop Worrying About This Christmas

The holidays are here, Illinois parents! Time for hot cocoa, matching PJs, and… stress? No! Here are five things you can officially stop worrying about this Christmas.

'Tis the Season For Stressin'

The holiday season is by far my absolute favorite time of the year, but the older I get the more I realize my favorite time of year also completely wears me out!

Between the constant running, celebrating, gift buying, wrapping, making, and decorating, I barely have time to sleep much less enjoy the precious moments. Don't even get me started about all the worrying about the money either. It'll stress me out even more!

While I refuse to stop making the season as magical and fun as possible for my daughters, I do understand that something has to give, but where do I start?

Letting Go of Christmas Traditions

In an effort to relieve some holiday stress, we asked this question on Facebook...

While the comments we received ranged from cold weather to forced family gatherings and buying gifts to holiday music, one popular comment got me thinking...Elf On The Shelf.

My kids absolutely adore our little holiday elf visitor named Chilly Milly, so I'm not ready for her to say goodbye, but what other small things could I let go of to make the holiday season a little less stressful?

Here are a few things I came up with.

1. Perfectly Wrapped Presents

Sure, some people can fold corners tighter than a military bedspread, and I fully appreciate the efforts, but what about everyone else and your kids? They’ll obliterate that paper faster than Santa eats cookies. Tape it, slap a bow on it, and move on.

2. The Small Visitor From Up North

Because my daughter likes to read my articles sometimes, I'm just going to say this: Stay off Pinterest and do NOT lose sleep over what happens each night. Simple changes are still exciting. (I think most parents know what I'm talking about here).

3. Picture-Perfect Holiday Cards

I gave up stressing over sending holiday cards several years ago, but as someone who still enjoys receiving them I will tell you this; your toddler’s squinty smile and your teenager's dramatic eye roll are chef’s kiss real-life perfection. Ditch the idea of choreographed poses in matching outfits and you get bonus points for photo bombs by pets.

4. Baking All the Cookies

Homemade cookies are great, but do we really need six dozen of 10 different kinds? No. Pick a few of your favorite and then buy the rest.

5. Making Christmas “Insta-Worthy”

Your home doesn’t need to look like a Hallmark movie. Christmas isn’t about decorations, it’s about joy, family, and traditions. The twinkle in your kids' eyes beats any twinkle lights on Instagram, so take the time to enjoy it while it lasts.

Here's the biggest thing I keep telling myself to remember; the magic of Christmas isn’t in perfect details; it’s in the perfectly imperfect memories you’re making. It's okay to let go of things that make room for more joy.