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The 25 Days in Real Life

It's not all hot cocoa and movie marathons

By Michaela GallienPublished 2 years ago 7 min read
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Day One

It’s that time again! That elf has made its appearance and your creative holiday edge is in full swing. Your Pinterest board of ideas to keep the magic going for your kids is ready. You really feel like this year you’ll be more creative about moving it. Some of those ideas are a little redundant though, and you’re not sure you have all the items you need to be creative with. It’s the first day, you have time. Relax!

Day Two

All the Christmas decorations at Hobby Lobby are half off. You don’t really need any new holiday decorations but they’re just so cute and would look so nice with what you already have. Your husband might have a fit when you bring them home because he specifically said no more decorations. Strategically place them with the ones you already have. That way when he takes them out you can pretend you forgot to put them out last year.

Day Three

There are so many options for matching family pajamas. You’re struggling to pick one because you want everyone to be comfortable, and you want them to be something that your husband will like and willingly wear. If he loves you he will wear whatever you order. So, go ahead and order those matching onesies. What matters is how amazing you’ll all look for that Christmas morning picture!

Day Four

It’s been a long day. You’ve already threatened to call Santa close to a million times. You’ve threatened to not send out their letters, to take back whatever you got them for gifts, and maybe even send the elf packing back to Santa. Even on a tough day, we all know those kids are making the nice list again. All parents go through it.

Day Five

You should’ve just sent the elf packing because already you forgot to move it last night. Now that creative holiday edge is already starting to fizzle out. It’s okay, you’ll do better next year (I say this every year).

Day Six

Go put your husband's present back. He doesn’t want to see it. The point of Christmas presents is the surprise. There are only a couple of weeks left and he can wait to see it till then. Even if he could use it right now and you feel like it can’t wait, it can.

Day Seven

Those holiday cards look great! It only took you a half hour to find the one decent picture where you were all looking at the camera, everyone had their eyes open, and a decent smile. But wait, is that a stain on one of the children’s outfits? There are always next year's photos.

Day Eight

Amazon says one of your packages is now running late. It’s a big gift too. The panic has started to set in. Now some of your smaller gifts won’t make sense if they can’t be opened with that one. You call customer service and they weren’t much help. There is still a chance it could arrive on time. Hold off on panicking for at least a few more days.

Day Nine

The kids at school have said that Santa isn’t real. Now your children want answers, and you want to pummel a little kid. You work too hard each year to create that Christmas magic to let some strangers ruin it. You tell them the other kids don’t know what they’re talking about and hope they don’t repeat that at school.

Day Ten

The kids won’t let it go, they’ve now requested proof in their letters to Santa. They need to know for sure that he’s real because the kids at school called you a liar. You’ve got your work cut out for you but you’re not going to be called a liar by some kid.

Day Eleven

You waited in line just to have the kids be scared of the mall Santa. It’s another year with you sitting on Santa’s lap to help them relax. It crosses your mind if a background check is a requirement to become a mall Santa. You take a deep breath and really hope they’re not as scared next year.

Day Twelve

The family is now trying to figure out the plans for the holidays. Everyone’s schedule is a little crazy. Your parents want to have everyone over for dinner on either Christmas Eve or Christmas. The siblings are planning on visiting their significant other's family. Don’t forget about the in-laws. Your parents go on vacation for the New Year. It’s okay, February seems to work for everybody.

Day Thirteen

The kids noticed that the elf didn’t move, yet again. You really need to up your game next year.

Day Fourteen

You enjoy some alone time with a cup of hot cocoa and your favorite holiday movie. You’re trying to relax but you're wrapping presents at the same time. Your OCD is really killing the mood, but why do they package things in such strange shapes? You tell yourself next year everything is going in bags.

Day Fifteen

Work decided to do a secret Santa and everyone had to draw names. You try not to stress about what you’re going to get your person. Socks and a mug are always a good choice.

Day Sixteen

The kids got their letters from Santa. The letter mentioned the name of their elves and recent events that unfolded in the house. He asked them to stop giving you attitude and to put their toys away. They were extra nice today, and their rooms are clean. It is truly a parental win.

Day Seventeen

Your Amazon package arrived!

Day Eighteen

While the kids are at school you go through their stuff to make room for all the new stuff they’ll receive. You barely make a dent before you start questioning why they own so much stuff. The amount of money spent on all of the items crosses your mind and you start to feel guilty for getting rid of them. Now you’ve taken a break to research places for you to donate to.

Day Nineteen

Today you overheard the coworker you got for secret Santa complaining about their socks and the mug. You shrug it off, there was a ten-dollar spending limit anyways.

Day Twenty

You forgot about the Yankee swap for the Christmas party. Instead of stressing yourself out, you re-wrap the secret Santa gift you received. No one will know.

Day Twenty-One

Your kids keep asking for stuff and are questioning why you won’t buy it for them. For the fiftieth time that day, you tell them Christmas is just a few days away and they may get it as a gift.

Day Twenty-Two

All of the presents are wrapped and labeled. You really feel like you’ve got it together, even with the minimal effort you’ve been putting into that elf.

Day Twenty-Three

The day is almost here and you feel a little burnt out. You’re ready for it all to be over.

Day Twenty-Four

It’s a day of baking cookies and excitement. The family unwraps their Christmas pajamas. Your husband looks less than impressed with your choice this year. He still reluctantly puts them on to make you and the kids happy. You all snuggle up on the couch and watch a Christmas movie. Occasionally you check the Santa tracker to tell your kids where he is currently at. They go to bed anxious for the morning to come. You wait an hour or two to make sure they’re sleeping before setting everything up. This is the first time your husband has seen all of the wrapped items and he questions how much you spent. You tell him not to ruin the holiday spirit.

Day Twenty-Five

The kids were up at the crack of dawn shrieking with excitement over the sight of everything under the tree. Your family photo came out great and you wish you had that one for holiday cards this year. The kids receive almost everything on their wishlist this year. You act more excited for your husband to open his gifts from you than he does to open them. It’s probably because you originally agreed not to do anything for each other, but too late now. It lightly snows as you cook breakfast for everyone and your husband takes the time to open and set up all the toys for the kids. You did it, and now you can somewhat relax until next year.

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About the Creator

Michaela Gallien

writing is my outlet to free my mind, relieve stress, and truly be creative. I hope to share strong messages and relatable captivating stories that impact a greater audience.

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