Let This Be the Last Year Holiday Stress Wins
December 24, 2025
It happens every year.
You’re sprinting through the season — chasing matching pajamas in the right sizes, juggling work and family, fielding awkward conversations, and holding everything (and everyone) together. And somewhere along the way, you quietly accept that this is just how the holidays go.
But… why?
Why is stress treated like a holiday tradition?
Why do we start December with good intentions and end it with receipts, resentment, and a tired half-smile in the family photo?
This year, something clicked.
Because even in the middle of the usual chaos — the last-minute online orders, the extended family drama, the endless to-do list — I realized something: We get to choose different.
The Holiday Burnout Is Real
For many working moms, especially physician moms juggling demanding schedules, the holiday season doesn't feel like a break. Instead, it's another full-time job layered on top of the one you already have. The emotional labor, the family dynamics, the logistics — it's a recipe for holiday burnout.
You deserve better than a season that leaves you depleted.
This isn't about skipping the holidays. It's about redefining what they mean for you. Because if the holidays are meant to be about joy, connection, and celebration, then you shouldn't be barely hanging on by December 24th.
Small Shifts = Big Wins
No, you don’t need to overhaul everything. You don’t need a perfectly calm Christmas. You just need to make one intentional decision that makes next year a little lighter. A little more peaceful. A little more yours.
Here are a few small but powerful shifts that can make a big difference:
Pre-order matching holiday pajamas for the kids and stash extras in the next few sizes.
Set a clear holiday budget ahead of time and stick to it. Fewer last-minute purchases, fewer regrets.
Say no to one obligation that drained you this year. Protect your energy.
Start a new family tradition that centers joy, not perfection.
These aren’t drastic changes. But they matter. Because they help you reclaim a sense of control and peace during a season that often pulls in the opposite direction.
Let Joy Be the Priority
When you look ahead to 2026, how do you want to feel next December?
Less overwhelmed? Less stretched thin? More present with your family?
It starts here, with this gentle reminder: the chaos isn't required.
You are allowed to design a holiday season that leaves you feeling just as good as everyone else you're taking care of. You're allowed to enjoy the magic, not just make it.
Let this be the last year that holiday stress takes over.
Because holiday magic isn’t about how much you do. It’s about how you feel while you’re doing it.
And next year? You get to feel better.
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