As we lugged our Christmas tree into the living room and watched it lean to one side, I felt a little sorry for the towering plant. There’s so much pressure for it to look beautiful for the holidays and bear the weight of our ornaments. And as I pondered how one tree could live up to all our expectations, I realized that moms are a lot like Christmas trees.
We look put together one time a year.
While we are typically sporting sweats and yesterday’s ponytail, the holiday season gives us the opportunity to wear clothes that fit and fix our hair into a presentable do.
We dry out if we don’t get enough water.
Just like our evergreen brethren, we require a constant intake of water during the dry winter months so our arms don’t look like they belong on a snowman.
We are the source of our family’s Christmas cheer.
Not only is there pressure to look presentable when friends and relatives show up for dinners and gift exchanges, but moms are also expected to keep the holiday magic going. I mean, if mom wasn’t there, who would move the dang elf?
We don’t know how all of those presents got there.
At some point during the holidays you look down and realize there’s a pile of wrapped gifts at your feet that you don’t remember buying.
By the day after Christmas, we are tired and haggard-looking.
Have you ever seen someone’s tree sitting, shriveled and rejected on the curb on the day after Christmas? This is how moms feel after they’ve spent countless hours wrapping presents, baking cookies and arranging gifts in the perfect order under the tree.
Jessa is the Editor-in-Chief of Hooray for Family and the mom of three energetic children. She has a BA in Mass Communication/Journalism from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and is a long-time resident of Central Texas. When she isn't writing and editing, she enjoys playing board games with her kids, teaching Sunday school and channeling her creativity into craft projects.
