All the conversations with my mom friends right now revolve around how exhausted they all are because of the holidays.
The pressure to keep up with the holiday magic is the number one topic of conversation, often accompanied by the observation that husbands simply don’t participate in making it happen.
I can’t relate, because in my house, it’s my husband who is in charge of the holidays.
The holidays are not my thing
Since we started dating, and way before we had kids, my husband has always been the one to bring the holiday spirit to our home. From getting me my first ugly sweater to buying a tiny tree to fit in our Brooklyn apartment, he loves the holidays and wants to lean in fully.
I, on the other hand, kind of don’t care. It’s not that I’m a grinch; I love dressing up and celebrating, but the idea of decorating a house or organizing activities is simply not my thing.
I’m from Argentina, so the holidays happen during the summer, and we have very different traditions from those in the US. I didn’t build a gingerbread house until 2022, when we already had three toddlers at home. A plastic tree feels equally as festive as a real tree (and even more practical), and standing in the Maine frigid temperatures to watch a tree get lit up just sounds like torture.
He’s in charge of the holiday magic
Even so, our house has never lacked holiday spirit. My husband is the one in charge of pulling out all the decorations from the basement and setting them up. He wraps every present like it’s his full-time job, and guarantees that everyone in the family has a stocking full of little surprises.
Recently, he decorated the Christmas tree with our kids, pulling out ornaments from his childhood, ones he had bought for our kids throughout their lives, and cherished memories of them. He spoke about each ornament with love, sharing stories and memories that came with each one.
Meanwhile, I just sat on the floor documenting it all.
I’m in charge of other things
This is not to say that I’m fully checked out during the holidays.
I’m the one who plans our vacation to South America to see my family. I pack everyone’s suitcase, ensure they have entertainment for the trip, and confirm that their favorite stuffed animals are coming with us.
I work with the kids to get their lists for Santa ready in time, and then I’m the one who purchases all the gifts, always looking for a good deal and often buying them secondhand to stretch our budget as far as possible.
I’m the one who chooses cute outfits for the whole family, and I always have my camera ready to capture those special moments during the holidays.
I’m grateful to have a partner with whom I can share the lift of parenting, especially during the holidays.
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