[276] 4 Holiday Resets Every Mom Needs This Christmas

This past weekend, I helped a friend move—and what I noticed reminded me so much of what happens during Christmas. She had duplicates of almost everything because she hadn’t taken inventory first. And don’t we do the same during the holidays? We buy more, do more, and pile on more—only to feel exhausted by December 25th.

In this episode, I’m sharing four simple holiday resets that will help you cut the chaos, protect what matters most, and actually enjoy Christmas this year.

Mentioned in this episode:
👉🏽 Intentional Christmas Toolkit for Busy Moms : https://www.realhappymom.com/christmastoolkit

3 Takeaways from this episode:

1. Take inventory first—use what you already have before buying more.
2. Protect your top three traditions—the simple moments are what your family will remember.
3. Build in downtime—rest isn’t wasted time, it’s what makes Christmas joyful.

Links and resources:

• Intentional Christmas Toolkit for Busy Moms : https://www.realhappymom.com/christmastoolkit
  
  

Transcript

0:01

Recently I spent the weekend helping a friend move into her new house, and let me tell you, it was eye-opening. As we unpacked, I noticed something. She had duplicates of almost everything, new kitchen gadgets, when she already had perfectly good ones, two and three of the same bathroom supplies. It wasn't that she needed more, it was that she didn't have a system. And it instantly reminded me of what we do at Christmas. My friend had just sold her house and was ready for a fresh start, and I get it. Sometimes when you're going through a big life transition, buying new things feels like a way to take control or even comfort yourself. But the truth is she didn't need half of what she. Without taking inventory first, she spent money, added clutter, and created stress for herself and moms. Don't we do the same thing during the holidays? We shop without a plan. We buy extra gifts just in case. We stock up on wrapping paper only to realize we already had three unopened rolls in the closet and we rushed to do and buy more. We end up with duplicates, disorganization, and exhaustion. That weekend with my friend was a reminder. It's not about doing more, buying more or adding more. It's about resetting with intention. Hey there, my name is Tony Ann. The podcast host of The Real Happy Mom podcast. The podcast for busy working moms who need more time and help with achieving their big goals without pulling their hair out. And in this episode, I wanna walk through four holiday resets that will help you cut the chaos, focus on what matters most, and actually enjoy Christmas this year. The first reset is simple but powerful. Take inventory first. When I was helping my friend move, we kept finding doubles of everything. Brand new sets of dishes, when she already had plenty duplicate bathroom supplies, even kitchen gadgets, she forgot she owned. It wasn't about being careless, it was about not having a system. And moms, this is exactly what happens to us at Christmas. We head to Target or Amazon, start tossing things in the cart and forget to check what we already have. Then December hits and we're tripping over three rolls of wrapping paper from last year. Five extra stocking stuffers we forgot we bought, or a pantry fill of duplicate baking supplies. The problem isn't that we don't care. It's we're running on autopilot. And autopilot almost always leads to clutter, overspending, and stress. So here's your holiday reset. Before you buy a single thing, spend 10 minutes, take in stock. Pull those gifts out of the closet, peek into the pantry. Check your wrapping supplies and write down what you already have. Because when you start from inventory, you buy with intention. You cut the duplicates, save yourself time and money, and most importantly, you start the season feeling in control instead of overwhelmed. The second reset is to protect your top three traditions. For years, I thought I had to do it all to make Christmas magical, pack the calendar with activities, fully decorate the house inside and out. Buy the perfect gifts, and of course, send out the Christmas cards with the pictures that made me look like a real housewife. It was exhausting, but I thought that's what my family wanted. Then one day I decided to ask my kids what they wanted to do during December, and their answers, they were shockingly simple things like watching movies together, making cookies, driving around to look at lights. Here I am stressing myself out doing all this extra work to create this picture perfect holiday when the only things that really matter to them were small, simple moments. That was such a wake up call for me, and that's why this reset is so important. Instead of trying to do it all, choose your top three non-negotiable traditions, the things that truly make Christmas special for you and your family. Write them down, put them on your calendar and protect them like appointments you wouldn't miss. Because when the invites roll in, the pressure builds. You already know what matters most. And here's the beautiful part. Your kids won't remember the stuff you cut. They'll remember the joy of the traditions you protected. Those small simple moments are the ones that stick. The third reset is one that can change everything. Make a"Not This Year" list. Every December. Moms pile, lawn mower, school programs, office parties, church events, cookie swaps, gifts exchanges, volunteering. Plus all the regular holiday shopping, decorating and cooking. We treat it like a never ending checklist of what a good mom is supposed to do. But here's the truth. Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should do it. That's where the not this year list comes in. It's literally a list of the things are giving yourself permission to skip the season. Maybe it's not sending Christmas cards. Maybe it's not hosting the big family dinner. Maybe it's giving the over the top light display or the extra gift exchange at work. And here's what I've learned. Saying no doesn't make you less of a mom. It actually makes you more present because every no creates space for the real yeses, the things that matter most to you and your kids. So here's your reset. Sit down for five minutes, write out all the things you think you're supposed to do this Christmas and cross off at least three things that don't serve you this year don't put them on your guilt list. Put them on your not this year list, because the truth is Christmas will still come. Your kids will still remember the joy, but you will feel lighter, calmer, and actually able to enjoy it. The fourth reset is one that most of us skip, and it's one that makes the biggest difference build in downtime. Here's what usually happens. We pack every square inch of December so full that by the time Christmas morning rolls around, we're running on fumes. We've checked every box, gone to every event, and baked every cookie, and we're too exhausted to enjoy the very holiday. We worked so hard for. The truth is rest doesn't magically appear. If you don't plan for it, December will eat it alive. So this year, flip the script. Before you RSVP to every party, or say yes to another activity. Go to your calendar and block off rest time. Call it Christmas movie night, lazy Saturday at home, or even do nothing afternoon. Write it down and protect it just like any other tradition. Because here's the thing, your kids won't remember that you skipped the neighborhood cookie swap or the third holiday craft fair, but they will remember piling on the couch in pajamas, sipping hot cocoa and laughing at home alone for the 10th time. And you'll remember it too, because you'll finally have the energy to actually be present. Here's the reset. Downtime isn't wasted time. It's what makes the holiday season feel joyful instead of rushed. When you build in rest, you're not doing less. You're making space for the moments that matter the most. So here's your holiday reset in a nutshell. Number one, take inventory first before you buy more. Use what you already have. Number two, protect your top three traditions. The simple things are what your family will remember. Number three, make a nod this year list. Say no to what doesn't serve you this season. Number four, build in downtime because rest isn't wasted time. It's what makes Christmas magical. When you hold onto these four resets, you'll move into December with more peace, more presents and weight, less pressure. And if you're listening to this thinking, yes, I want that kind of Christmas, but I also need some tools to make it happen. That's exactly why I created the Intentional Christmas toolkit for busy moms. Inside you'll get Trello boards to organize gifts, meals, and your holiday schedule, a printable calendar and a budget tracker so you stay on top of everything. Plus over a hundred pages of kid-friendly activity ideas, and even a self-care workbook to keep you calm and cared for. Think of it like your command center for the holiday that feels joyful instead of chaotic. You can grab it now@realhappymom.com slash christmas toolkit. That's real Happy mom.com/christmas toolkit. I'll put the link in the show notes too because Christmas isn't about doing more, it's about enjoying more, and this toolkit will help you get there. Now that's it for this episode. I will see you again next week. Take care, and with lots of love.