Nearly all parents (96%) say the holidays are a happy time for their family, according to a poll by the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. However, that happiness often requires countless hours spent preparing meals, wrapping gifts, and creating cherished traditions. It’s no surprise, then, that nearly 1 in 5 parents admit to feeling highly stressed in the process. Notably, mothers report feeling overwhelmed almost twice as often as fathers, with 23% compared to 12%.
Several common holiday concerns contribute to these feelings, including extra shopping and holiday tasks (31%), keeping family members healthy (30%), managing household finances (29%), organizing family gatherings (23%), making special meals (22%), and even criticism about holiday plans (14%). Across the board, mothers are more likely than fathers to feel the weight of these responsibilities.
This stress is something Bridget, a UK-based content creator and new mom, knows all too well. Having welcomed her baby girl in June of last year, she experienced December as a parent for the first time—and it came with its own set of challenges. “There’s always so much to think about and lists of things to do, and the dreaded ‘mom guilt,’” she told Bored Panda. “Have I done enough? Is it a special enough first Christmas? Could I have taken her to more places or experiences? Who do I need to buy for? Does she need a new Christmas outfit, Christmas PJs, Christmas hat? The list goes on…”
Still, the season was a reminder of just how much her life had changed since becoming a mom. “Sounds cliché, but it really is something you just can’t prepare for, nor can anyone else prepare you for it,” Bridget shared. “For me personally, the biggest adjustment was the emotions. There are SO many different emotions in one day or moment—it’s truly overwhelming and takes time to get to grips with (if you ever really do).”
Nevertheless, Bridget considers motherhood the best thing that’s ever happened to her. “I feel like it’s what I was meant to do, even though at many points in my life I never thought I wanted to be a mum,” she said. “You can have the hardest day of your life, and if your baby looks at you and smiles, it honestly all just goes away.”
At its heart, Christmas was a lovely time for Bridget, spent with family and filled with special moments. Reflecting on the holidays, she encourages parents to embrace simpler traditions to make things easier. “Speak to family and friends, plan meet-ups, go somewhere, or have a games night together instead of buying gifts,” she suggested. “This year, my family and I only did gifts for the children, and with the money we saved on other presents, we booked a cabin for New Year’s Eve together.”
