The holidays are not exactly how my husband and I envisioned them when we were dating and getting to know each other. I mean, we basically had the same ideas, but we forgot to ask our kids exactly what are holidays we’re going to look like.

We both had ideas of how Christmas morning would go; pjs, open all the presents, take turns, have breakfast, and enjoy watching our kids play with their gifts…. Hahahaha nope. It’s been more like, one kid flys through all his presents and loves every one of them afterwards, and another kid opens one gift and has no interest in opening any other present for hours and breakfast isn’t corn beef or hash. It’s usually pasta, cheese, glass root beer, leftovers that none of the kids ate for Christmas Eve, and possibly a bowl of cereal for someone?

But for us, that’s ok and thankfully Mike and I are pretty easy going, so if the kids are happy, we’re happy. It’s trying to explain these things to other people that seems to be the complicated part.

For some reason family members think I should force mr. L to open all his presents in one sitting (even if he wouldn’t mind it taking a day or 2). Many family members think I should also force everyone to go in a circle and have each person take a turn opening a gift while everyone ooh’s and awe’s over it. Yeah, taking turns is good and important. But if mr. L doesn’t want to open gifts, why should mr. C sit and stare at his presents while mr. L is forced un-happily to open gifts he would have enjoyed more later? I mean the whole concept would just be chaos. Is that what holidays are about? Traditional chaos? If it is then I guess I’ll enjoy doing the holidays wrong.

I mean even decorating our Christmas tree seems to be a little unorthodox. We’ve been using a smaller tree for years despite my husband wanting a bigger one. Because my kids can’t help themselves and just need to pull the tree down on themselves multiple times each year. Literally, like 10-12 times in a holiday season I hear the tree crashing down and trapping one of my kids while the other one is attempting to save them.

I’ve had friendly people ask what theme our Christmas tree is… Um 🤔 “kid” or “Not breakable stuff” or maybe “random things including mr. L’s trains”? I don’t think our tree has a single, circular, ball shaped ornament on it. It has lights, a star, and a few traditional Christmas ornaments… But in past years instead of a star it had a plastic cup mr. L anointed it with, or a mini packers football helmet.

But either way, the tree gets lights, it gets decorated, we’ve been blessed to always have gifts under it for our children and it’s magical.

Our tree might not look materialistic enough, our kids might hang the stockings in unique places like on the key hook in the kitchen, and we might find a drawing of Santa hung over a toilet… But our kids are happy and over the years we teach them what others do for the holidays and maybe some day they may choose to do those things too.

But in the mean time, don’t go to the same Christmas party as us and point at my kid and ask what’s wrong with him because he shows joy different then you are used to. Because I will call you out, I will tell you straight up that there is nothing wrong with mr. L and I will ask what’s wrong with you for being rude 😉👊😘

What does your Christmas tree look like? Who decorates it? Do you have family that has chaotic holiday expectations?

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