Holidays...so much discussion!

I have been amazed at the overwhelming number of facebook posts and blog entries about how overboard St. Patrick's day and other holidays are becoming.  Most of the comments are about over-achieving moms and one upping competitions and kids who expect something because their friends' mom does the holiday differently.  And I have had an inner turmoil, almost shame, while reading each opinion.  But not because I am against celebrating...just the opposite.  Because I feel bad that I enjoy it and am basically being told to knock it off.

Growing up, my dad was in the military and we moved all over the world.  At times the only friends my siblings and I had were each other and the only familiarities we had on holidays were within the walls of our home.  Living in other countries who may or may not celebrate things you are used to can be hard as a child and maybe even confusing.  But my mom kept our traditions alive and brought new ones with us from previous places.  After living in Boston, St. Patrick's day became a bigger deal in our home with green toilet water and green breakfasts.  After we lived in Belgium, we put our shoes out on December 6th for St. Nick to put toys and treats in which none of my friends had heard of back in the states.  And I cherish the memories and the efforts my mom put into making mundane days feel special.

As a stay at home mom now, I see maybe why she did these things and went to such great lengths.  Days can get pretty boring and sometimes lonely and frustrating.  If you can break that up by making a day a little more special for your kids, something to wake up looking forward to, then why not?  But if you don't want to, that is fine too...no one is forcing any family to do things.  I understand the competitive nature we all have and the fact that when kids go to school they hear what other families are doing.  That can be hard.  But I highly doubt moms are trying to make other moms look stupid or less-than-acceptable because they chose to make rainbow pancakes for St. Pat's breakfast.  I did it to see the smile on my kid's face as he asked if he could eat the blue one and I know there are things other moms do to make their kids smile that I choose not to.

The guilt we may or may not feel makes me sad.  So what if you forgot to move your elf on the shelf every single day.  So what if you don't send out fancy Christmas cards on time...or at all.  So what if your Valentine's are store bought and not hand crafted.  I remember calling people Martha Stewart moms and now it is a Pinterest mom.  We all need to get off our own backs and give ourselves a break.  The extras are supposed to be fun, not an added guilt or pressure.  I am grateful for the hundreds of things I have pinned that I will never do or the places I will never visit...it allows me a pretend hope that I can and will make my own padded bench seat from unfinished cabinets from Lowes or visit the gorgeous underwater hotel in Dubai or eat at a table in the ocean in Bora Bora.  Pinterest allows for dreams and creative juices to flow.

As for blogging, posting pictures on instagram or facebook about what you do to celebrate and the crafts you make...go for it!  Each of us is trying to be our best self.  We are trying to find joy in our lives.  And if you were able to do something special and want to share, then by all means share it.  But if you don't have a picture to share, so what?  No need to think that others are rubbing it in.  We are all just working hard to be our best.  As a stay at home mom, there are days I feel like a failure.  Days I barely get out of my sweats.  Moments I have to stop and think "have I showered in the last 72 hours?"  And on the days I can accomplish a drop of awesome, I may need to post it to remind myself that I am doing ok.  I am not as bad or as untalented as I think.

Moms who keep it simple and don't want to dye your toilet water green...good for you!  You do what is best for your family.  Moms who put feet prints on their toilet and a trail of gold coins leading to shoes filled with goodies beside a homemade leprechaun trap...good for you! You do what is best for your family.  My point is, there are enough people in this world saying that moms are not good enough, not important enough...let's be each others' cheerleaders a little more and each others' critics and competition a little less.

And now I will put away my soap box and go to bed. PS:  Click on the drop of awesome link if you really want a boost!  Great blog post by someone I don't even know.