Oh, the holidays, that special time of year when we all cozy up by the fire in our matching pajamas, with steaming mugs of homemade hot cocoa and sugar cookies ornately decorated with royal icing and those shiny little silver balls that must be edible. I guess.

Yeah, right.

While our kids often associate Christmas with twinkling lights and brightly wrapped packages, for parents this wonderful time of the year can also be a little bit stressful and a whole lot exhausting. I am a true lover of Christmas, and I revel in every tradition of the holiday season, including the carols that I play on a continuous loop starting the day after Thanksgiving. But what if those carols reflected how we moms REALLY feel - at least some of the time - during the craziness of the holiday rush. I kind of like these versions . . . What do you think?

To the tune of “Jingle Bells”

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Sarah just threw up
We can’t fly to grandma’s house,
Those tickets cost so much . . . Hey!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
This is just my luck,
Who will be the next to puke?
This laundry – (*gagging*) - YUCK!

To the tune of “Deck the Halls”

Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Falalalala-lala-la-la
Why is all this my job anyway?
Falalalala-lala-la-la
You thought I’d do this by myself?
Falala-lalala-la-la-la
Good luck. I quit. Go find an elf.
Falalalala-lala-la-la

To the tune of “All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth”

All I want for Christmas is to get some sleep,
Some time for me,
Yes, an hour that’s free.
Please, if I could only get a good night’s sleep
Then I could wish you, “Merry Christmas.”

To the tune of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go;
Take a look in the five-and-ten; lines that will never end
With moms whose patience ran out long ago.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
Crowds in every store,
So the prettiest sights to see are deliveries that will be
Left at your own front door.

To the tune of “Let It Snow”

Oh, the lists just keeps on growing,
And I’m shopping without knowing
What to buy so tears don’t flow -
Let it go, let it go, let it go.

There are cards I won’t be sending,
And I know I’m overspending;
I’ve hit my holiday all-time low -
Let it go, let it go, let it go.

When I buy cookies off the shelf,
Oh, it feels like a holiday fail;
I keep forgetting to move the elf,
And don’t ask me to step on a scale.

Oh, the gifts, they still need wrapping
And my kids say no to napping,
But Christmas means much more, I know.
I’ll let it go, let it go, let it go.

To the tune of “Up on the Housetop”

Up on the housetop, the bulbs won’t glow
Why they won’t we just don’t know;
Hours and hours of hanging lights
All for a house that’s dark at night.

Dad, he had just one desire -
Light the night up like a fire.
No more Christmas in the dark,
Dreaming he would outshine Clark.

Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn't go?
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn't go?
Up on the ladder, slick as ice,
To impress the neighbors at any price

To the tune of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light,
Even if you put together toys all night.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yuletide gay,
Pretend you don’t care what your crazy relatives say.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore,
Uncle Joe’s fourth wife isn’t dear to us,
But she gathers near to us once more.

Through the years we all will be together,
If no one gets mad;
Even then, we’ll come to please our mom and dad.
So have yourself a merry little Christmas . . .
Have yourself a merry little Christmas . . .
Really, have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Take some time to love and laugh during this holiday season, and when things are stressful, pause to remember the true meaning of this very special time of the year.

~Still Chasing Fireflies