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Listen "How to Reduce Holiday Stress as a Mom: Realistic Tips for Presence and Joy"
Episode Synopsis
If your December already feels like a never-ending to-do list: cookie recipes, gift lists, holiday photos, school parties, Elf on the Shelf ideas… you are not alone, love. In this episode, we’re talking about the invisible holiday mental load that so many moms carry: the pressure to make everything magical, memorable, and “perfect”… even if it leaves you exhausted and snappy with the very people you’re doing it all for.
Together, we’ll slow down, take a breath, and get really honest about why the holidays feel so overwhelming for moms, and what you can do differently this year. I’ll walk you through a simple, practical process to sort through your holiday tasks, set realistic boundaries, share the load with your partner, and choose what actually matters for you and your family.
Instead of waking up on January 3rd feeling like you missed the whole season because you were too busy managing it, my hope is that you’ll remember laughter, connection, and moments you were truly present for, with your kids, and with yourself.
In today’s episode, we talk about:
Holiday overwhelm for moms and why December hits so differently when you’re carrying the mental load for everyone
The invisible load of motherhood during the holidays (and why you feel it the moment the Christmas decor hits Target)
Holiday mental load for moms: all the unseen planning, tracking, remembering, and managing that no one else notices
How perfectionism in motherhood shows up in December: Pinterest cookies, matching pajamas, elaborate elf setups… and quietly drains your joy
Mom guilt during the holidays and why “I should be grateful” isn’t the whole story
The difference between real gratitude and toxic positivity when you’re overwhelmed
Why the holidays feel so overwhelming as a mom, especially for high-achieving, do-it-all women
How to create holiday memories without burning out or resenting all the work behind them
A grounding exercise to picture yourself on January 3rd and decide what you actually want to remember about this season
A simple, compassionate way to reduce the mental load during the holidays—without giving up what matters most
Practical tools you’ll hear in this episode:
A 5-category list exercise to go through every holiday task and sort it into:
Things that genuinely bring you joy
Things that genuinely bring your kids joy
Things you’re doing out of obligation or expectation
Things that could be simplified or delegated
Things that could be eliminated entirely
How to simplify Christmas as a busy mom
What it looks like to choose three core holiday activities that truly matter to your family, and let the rest be optional
How to set holiday boundaries with family and friends without over-explaining or drowning in guilt
A script you can use to say: “That sounds lovely, but we can’t make it work this year.”
How to have an honest holiday division-of-labor conversation with your partner, including the mental load, not just the physical tasks
Examples of holiday tasks moms can let go of and what you can do instead
How to ask, in real time:
“Is this adding to our joy or stealing from it?”
“Is this creating the memories I want… or creating stress that will overshadow everything else?”
How to be more present with your kids during the holidays, even if your schedule is still full
Why calm and connection might be the greatest gifts you can give your family this year
Gentle reminders from this episode:
You are not responsible for single-handedly creating Christmas magic for everyone in your life.
Your kids don’t need a perfect holiday; they need a present, emotionally available mom.
Good enough truly can be more than enough: for you, for them, and for the memories you’re building.
Letting go of some tasks isn’t failure; it’s honoring your capacity and modeling healthy limits for your children.
Take a deep breath, mama. You don’t have to earn the holidays by doing it all. You’re already making them magical, simply by being you.
Connect with me on Instagram: @herewithyoumama
Transcript for this episode
Blog post for this episode
Together, we’ll slow down, take a breath, and get really honest about why the holidays feel so overwhelming for moms, and what you can do differently this year. I’ll walk you through a simple, practical process to sort through your holiday tasks, set realistic boundaries, share the load with your partner, and choose what actually matters for you and your family.
Instead of waking up on January 3rd feeling like you missed the whole season because you were too busy managing it, my hope is that you’ll remember laughter, connection, and moments you were truly present for, with your kids, and with yourself.
In today’s episode, we talk about:
Holiday overwhelm for moms and why December hits so differently when you’re carrying the mental load for everyone
The invisible load of motherhood during the holidays (and why you feel it the moment the Christmas decor hits Target)
Holiday mental load for moms: all the unseen planning, tracking, remembering, and managing that no one else notices
How perfectionism in motherhood shows up in December: Pinterest cookies, matching pajamas, elaborate elf setups… and quietly drains your joy
Mom guilt during the holidays and why “I should be grateful” isn’t the whole story
The difference between real gratitude and toxic positivity when you’re overwhelmed
Why the holidays feel so overwhelming as a mom, especially for high-achieving, do-it-all women
How to create holiday memories without burning out or resenting all the work behind them
A grounding exercise to picture yourself on January 3rd and decide what you actually want to remember about this season
A simple, compassionate way to reduce the mental load during the holidays—without giving up what matters most
Practical tools you’ll hear in this episode:
A 5-category list exercise to go through every holiday task and sort it into:
Things that genuinely bring you joy
Things that genuinely bring your kids joy
Things you’re doing out of obligation or expectation
Things that could be simplified or delegated
Things that could be eliminated entirely
How to simplify Christmas as a busy mom
What it looks like to choose three core holiday activities that truly matter to your family, and let the rest be optional
How to set holiday boundaries with family and friends without over-explaining or drowning in guilt
A script you can use to say: “That sounds lovely, but we can’t make it work this year.”
How to have an honest holiday division-of-labor conversation with your partner, including the mental load, not just the physical tasks
Examples of holiday tasks moms can let go of and what you can do instead
How to ask, in real time:
“Is this adding to our joy or stealing from it?”
“Is this creating the memories I want… or creating stress that will overshadow everything else?”
How to be more present with your kids during the holidays, even if your schedule is still full
Why calm and connection might be the greatest gifts you can give your family this year
Gentle reminders from this episode:
You are not responsible for single-handedly creating Christmas magic for everyone in your life.
Your kids don’t need a perfect holiday; they need a present, emotionally available mom.
Good enough truly can be more than enough: for you, for them, and for the memories you’re building.
Letting go of some tasks isn’t failure; it’s honoring your capacity and modeling healthy limits for your children.
Take a deep breath, mama. You don’t have to earn the holidays by doing it all. You’re already making them magical, simply by being you.
Connect with me on Instagram: @herewithyoumama
Transcript for this episode
Blog post for this episode
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