My kids have never had a Christmas tree. There, I said it. Go ahead and gather up all of your stones. For some reason my complete disinterest in decorating for the holidays makes people want to call child protective services.
I don’t have anything against the holidays. I didn’t suffer any tree-related trauma as a child. I am just lazy and don’t see the point of spending hours decorating my house only to have to take it all down again a month later. Shouldn’t there be child labor laws to prevent parents from forcing kids to spend an entire Saturday putting up decorations? Or how about a mommy labor law? Don’t we do enough on the normal days?
And don’t even get me started on the santa claus/easter bunny topic. Why should I spend all of my free time and a small fortune buying presents only to have some imaginary character come in and get all of the credit. I am confident that my kids are happier getting random presents throughout the year than they would be getting them all at once on a day that doesn’t carry any real meaning for them.
We don’t do decorations. We have never made an easter basket. My kids have never decorated valentines for their friends or dyed an easter egg. And they have never once complained or even asked why. I save up all of my energy and pull out all of the stops when it comes to the birthday party.
Perhaps I’ll have to change my tune once my kids get a bit older. If they complain, I’ll do my best to try and bribe my way out of it with winter ski trips and spring break at the beach. But I think I’ll cross my fingers and hope that they instead see it as something cool and different and maybe even a bit liberating.
If you are one of those people holding a stone in your hand, ask yourself this. Are you really concerned that I am mistreating my kids or are you just angry because I might be a little bit right.
4 Comments
I often dream of not doing those heavy workload holidays. But really, all those things are about tradition. If your family has traditions that the children can look forward to, and that bring you together, it doesn’t have to be some bunny or pink foil tree in the corner that does it.
I salute you slacker Mom.
I don’t think you are right at all? I think you are insane.
But, then again, I don’t buy my kids anything for their birthday’s b.c I figure I have a life time of that coming up 🙂
Huge birthday extravaganza and gifts throughout the year vs. holiday decorations…Sounds like a wash to me 🙂
You are my hero.
Mom of 2 & 5 year old boys. I hate December and all the stress it carries with it. I want to leave the country from ‘Black Friday’ — 12/30. (I can handle celebrating the end…..and new year beginning w/ those kids…..minimal decorating required and no gifts on 12/31). Every year I say screw the tree but give in to the pressure. I DRAG IT OUT. I PUT IT UP. I DECORATE IT. I HATE IT FOR 3 WEEKS. THEN I DO IT ALL IN REVERSE. MERRY STRESSMAS. WE DONT ‘host’. No family gathers here. Just a competition to see how many ornaments the 2 naughty boys can break or displace throughout the house. All year I find broken bits of Crapmas under beds, behind dressers, on shelves & the back of drawers. WHHHHHHY? I haven’t sent out cards in 2 years just from being overwhelmed (or maybe underwhelmed) by the ‘most wonderful time of the year.’ No thank you. Again….. You are my hero. Maybe I’ll get a tree poster this year. I can do that much…..maybe.