I wouldn't be the Bitchin' Housewife if I didn't have something to Bitch about every once and a while now would I?

I am THE FIRST to have Christmas music playing on November 12th after observing Rememberance Day. My tree is up early, my gifts are thought of months in advance and I bake and decorate and party as much as I can. I LOVE Christmas.

BUT

Holy crap the pressure to carry out every gosh damn tradition is EXHAUSTING!

Every time I turn on my computer or open Facebook on my phone there is a new blog post about traditions or whatever else other families do. I love everyone sharing. I do. I love seeing your families doing fun things.

BUT

Are you also tired of "well we always go to Uncle Jim's on Christmas Eve's Eve" or "its tradition to blah blah blah". I get it. I really get it. My family has these things.

BUT

This year it was going to be stressful to make it to the Festival Of Trees with my sisters and Mom and kids. So we didn't go.

It was cold and I had to teach on the night of the downtown Christmas tree light up. So we didn't go.

Last year for the first time in probably 20 years I didn't watch A Christmas Story on Christmas Day.

And so on. And you know what? We are happy Christmas spirited people still. We didn't die, we aren't sad and the holiday events happen without us.

No need for shame or guilt or stressing ourselves out to make everything there is out there to do. To ensure every tradition lives on for every single year.

I share this in hopes of letting every other mom out there know, it's okay to miss stuff. Sometimes we get so bus rushing to the things and the places that we miss the REAL stuff anyways!

What are you UNtraditionalizing this year?

Love,

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Times and things change.