A Can Do Mom

  Christmas is meant to be a time of magic, family, and joy but the reality is that holiday expenses can pile up fast. Gifts, decorations, meals, and activities often cost more than we expect. The good news? You can create a festive, fun, and memorable holiday without emptying your wallet. It just takes a little creativity, planning, and focus on what really matters: spending time together. Here’s how to make Christmas fun on a budget.

Holidays can be so hard sometimes. And honestly, a lot of the time, it’s the people we love most that make them the hardest. I know that sounds kind of harsh, but it’s true. I’ve always loved the holidays. When I became a mom, I couldn’t wait to celebrate with my kids. I had all these ideas in my head of little traditions we’d start and build on as our own little family. But things didn’t exactly go the way I pictured. The first three years of our marriage were… a lot. Both our parents lived close enough that we could see them for every holiday, so we tried to split things up—Thanksgiving with one side, Christmas with the other, and then swap the next year. We thought that was fair. Our parents? Not so much. My mother-in-law felt like all the holidays should be at her house. Thanksgiving dinner at noon, and we were “supposed” to spend the night on Christmas Eve. That didn’t leave much for my family. And honestly, we were already trying to be there for Christmas anyway, because it ...

Any parent knows that most holidays are completely transformed when you have children. Road trips have to be planned carefully, traditions may need to be adjusted, and new activities are often created just to make things work. New Year’s Eve with kids can be particularly tricky because so much of the celebration tends to revolve around staying up until midnight. And for young children, that’s not exactly easy. So that raises the big question: Should kids even stay up until midnight? Sure, it’s a special occasion, but some parents wonder if it’s really worth the next day’s crankiness. Plus, it can be tough to keep kids happy and entertained that late into the night. If you're on the fence about how to handle New Year's Eve with kids, you're not alone. Here's a helpful guide full of ideas and tips to make the evening fun and manageable, no matter what bedtime looks like in your house. Should You Let Your Kids Stay Up Until Midnight? Let’s start with the big one: Is i...