Three Ways to Manage Holiday (or any day) Stress

The holidays are fast approaching, and already I'm starting to feel holiday specific stress creep into my daily life.

How about you?

My to-do list is growing.
My budget is straining.
Old family tensions are, sadly, rearing their ugly heads.
Travel plans need to be finalized.
Gifts need to be bought.

I truly love winter and the associated holidays, but I also find this time of year to be trying and stressful. This year, I'm trying something new. I'm using three methods to help control my stress levels going into Thanksgiving and Christmas.

1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Lately, I've been tired. Exhausted even. And, the more tired I feel, the more stressed out I get. It occurred to me recently that I'm not drinking enough water. I pound back coffee all day, but hardly ever reach for a glass of H2O.

Last week, I started making it a point to begin my day with a tall glass of plain water, to have another at midday, and yet another while I'm preparing dinner. I may not necessarily hit the daily recommended 6 to 8 glass per day, but I'm getting a lot more than I had been.

And, I'm feeling a big difference! When I'm hydrated, I have more energy. When I have more energy, I can get more done. And, when I can get more done, I'm a lot less stressed!

2. Stretch!
Along with not being well hydrated, I've also felt tight in my shoulders and joints. That tightness gets worse as I get stressed out which in turn increases my stress and then increases the tightness. It's a vicious cycle.

So, after I drink my big glass of morning water, I stretch. I just do a few simple moves--reaching to the floor, stretching overhead, flexing my feet and hands, and stretching and rolling my neck. It takes hardly any time at all, and it makes me feel so much better!

A good stretch at bedtime--or when I feel stressed or tired--also helps me to sleep better, and sleep is essential!

3. Manage my sleep habits
You can't function well without enough sleep and lack of sleep directly impacts your stress levels! When I'm tired, I'm cranky. I'm stressed. I'm frazzled. Everything seems so much harder! I've been working on my sleep habits for a long time, and a few specific bedtime habits are starting to stick and I've noticed the payoffs with better quality, deeper sleep. That, in turn, has led to more energy and a better attitude during the day.

The biggest game changers for my sleep habits include:

• Using an eye mask
• Using light blocking curtains
• Putting my phone across the room
• Using an air filtration system next to my bed

The eye mask and light blocking curtains have helped to create a cocoon like feel in my bedroom and allow me to limit bits of light that I might not be fully aware of but that keep me from sleeping deeply regardless.

And, we all know what a sleep-drain having your phone near the bed can be!

The air filter provides both cleaner air and a steady, noise canceling hum.

These habits are particularly important for managing my stress during the holidays, but they also are useful all year long.

What habits help you to manage your holiday stress levels? Any tips you've found to be tried and true? Or, what have you tried that has been an utter failure?

Here are some of the products I like best for improving my hydration, for stretching, and for getting a better night's sleep:

If you buy the air filter, you can get replacement filters on a subscription basis from Amazon! It's so easy to just set up the subscription schedule and forget about it. No need to remember to replace the filters or put it on your calendar since they are delivered directly to your door on a schedule you choose. Because I have three dogs and a cat, I change my filters every other month, but if you have no pets, you could replace yours far less frequently.

This post includes affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may result in a small commission to us at no extra cost to you.

I'm the after Christmas Grinch....are you too?

I seriously love Christmas time!

I love the festivities, the food, the lights, finding the perfect gift for the ones you love.
I basically love it all!

What I also LOVE (maybe even a teensie bit more so) is ripping down the holiday decorations and rearranging furniture so my house is finally clean again! I love how bare it feels, how plain, how much more my usual decorations stand out because I haven't seen them for a few weeks. I love dumping uneaten treats, purging items to make room for the new ones, and just the overall feeling of "OMG! I can breath again!"

I am a major creature of habit, and during the month of December we stay up later, are busier, eat differently, and are just a little off of our routine. I really do try to keep things as low key as possible (read about that HERE), but it can be pretty impossible to not veer off the tracks.

Yesterday (as I write this) was the day after Christmas....December 26th.

I was exhausted, maybe a smidge hungover, and l just had that general feel of yuckiness from not taking care of myself. I literally got up in the morning, poured a cup of coffee, and sat down instead of getting into my normal routine. But, before I knew it, I was moving just a few items into a pile for easier clean up. Next, I decided to sort through cards and toss them once I read them, and before I knew it the tree was magically un-decorated and was hauling itself outside to shed it's prickly needles away from my house.

All the while that this was going on, my kids were confused and wondering why we had to take the tree down today, and can't we just leave it up for a few more days?

NO.

No we cannot. In fact, we cannot leave it up for a few more minutes. In fact, my dear children, you're lucky I even left it up until Christmas at the rate it was shedding!

I am definitely one of those all-or-nothing type of people.

I try to find middle ground, but I can't ever seem to muster the energy for that. Maybe this can be a New Year's resolution.

During the holidays, I am either doing crafts, looking at lights, baking cookies, reading Christmas stories, planning, wrapping, etc, etc. etc.

OR I am doing NOTHING.

Once it's over, it's over for me.

I'm not good about buying discounted Christmas items for next year's gifts or decorating because, well, Christmas is OVER. It's not that time anymore. We're moving on.,..and moving on I did yesterday!

I know that a lot (aka most) people leave there tree up until New Year's or they take it down right before the New Year.

That's great....just not for me!

How long do you leave your tree up? Are you like me and can't wait to get your house put back together? What is your favorite thing about taking down your decorations?

And, while I'm on a roll, here are a few pictures of where Christmas once could be found at my house:

I do enjoy having little lights all over my house so I didn't get entirely "bah humbug"--instead, I did leave up a few little lights for effect.

Who knows, I may be a total rebel and leave them up all year!

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Make the spirit of giving a year-round affair

Thanksgiving is past and Christmas is only 11 days away as I write this. Typically at this time of year, people are asked to donate food, coats, blankets, and other items to those in need. This post is no exception...

Although I am devoted to Mom2MomEd and the work I am doing with McKenzie, I have to tell you that my day job is also a true passion. I work in emergency medicine and at a community-based urban hospital that serves a HUGE homeless population in addition to regular city residents. I see people in need all day, every day at my job.

Many of the homeless that I see have serious mental health and substance abuse issues, but I also see many that are hardworking, stand-up citizens who have run into the worst luck of their lives and are struggling to get upright again.

Regardless of the reasons for their struggles, these are people in need, and sometimes a little bit can go a long way. 

Most are in need of things you and I take for granted every day. Look around you--when was the last time you really thought about how much your toothbrush and toothpaste or a blanket or a clean pair of socks actually impacts your life? For the people served by my hospital these are HUGE.

I want to encourage you to donate a few extra items this month in the spirit of the giving season, but then I want to challenge you further to donate a full grocery bag of food, hygiene products, or other items to the needy EVERY month in 2017. 

Will you join me in this endeavor?

Before I get into specific items, here are a few things to consider when deciding what and where to make your donations:

• For canned items, those with a pop top (that don't require a can opener) are ideal.
• When possible avoid glass jars and bottles as they break more easily and can lead to injuries if they break.
• Ask if your food bank needs grocery bags or boxes (people need something to carry home their items).
• If you have fruit trees or a vegetable garden, ask if your food bank or pantry can accept produce--some can.
• If you have a farm or butcher animals, ask if a homeless shelter or food bank can take meat--my uncle just had a cow butchered and was able to donate pretty much all of the meat to a homeless shelter.
• Give your local food bank money or grocery store cards. They often don't have the funds to cover many of their costs. 
• Donate foods you would actually want to eat and products you would actually want or need to use--no one wants that can of weird vegetables you bought on a whim 10 years ago and never got around too because it's too odd.

And, here are some specific product donation ideas based on my own experiences with those in need locally, from my experiences teaching and tutoring students in need, and from researching what food banks and shelters have on their wish lists:

PROTEIN
canned tuna (in water)
canned chicken (in water or own juices)
canned beans
peanut, nut, sunflower seed butters
canned, jarred, or bagged nuts

CANNED FOODS
soup, stew, chili (my local Dollar Tree often has LOTS of this and often pop-top cans)
canned meats or fish (see protein above)
low sodium canned vegetables
canned fruit (preferably in their own juice and not syrup, but NOT pineapple or anything weird)

HOLIDAY FOODS
canned cranberries or sauce
boxed stuffing mix
canned green beans
canned sweet potatoes or yams
marshmallows

BABY ITEMS
diapers and wipes
diaper rash ointment
Pull-Ups
canned formula
boxed baby cereal
boxed teething biscuits
jarred baby food
Pediasure and Pedialyte

KID FRIENDLY ITEMS
granola bars
fruit snacks
juice boxes or pouches (100% juice)
shelf-stable milk boxes, incl soy or almond milk alternatives
mac-and-cheese
snack cracker packs
pudding or Jell-O cups
unsweetened applesauce (cinnamon is great, but look for all natural, unsweetened varieties)
boxes of crackers
snack pack/size crackers and chips

PANTRY ITEMS
salt and pepper
seasonings, spices, seasoning mixes
jars and bottles of mustard, mayo, ketchup, etc
olive or canola oil
salt/pepper
low-sugar, whole grain cereals
oatmeal
packaged pasta
pasta sauce
packaged or instant rice
microwavable popcorn
boxed meals that require ONLY water to make
ground coffee and tea

HYGIENE ITEMS
single rolls and larger packages of toilet paper (in package...not just rolls from packages you bought for you own household)
toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss
deodorant
bar soap
basic shampoo and conditioner
menstrual pads and panty liners (tampons are useful, but pads are more easily changed and can be used for more than just a period)
disposable razors and shaving lotion/cream
chapstick or lip balm

OTHER ITEMS
underwear for all members of family
socks
blankets
coats/jackets
school supplies
small "mess kits" with a basic cooking pot, cup, plate, and utensil set for one person (for example, for a newly homeless person)
sleeping bags
scarves, gloves, and winter hats
dog and cat food
dog poop bags

PLEASE DON'T DONATE:
boxed cake, cookie, brownie, etc mixes
alcohol
soda
candy

What are YOU committed to doing for those in need in 2017? 

Personally, I have made it my goal to donate:

• 24 FULL bags of groceries (2 per month)
• 48 toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes (4 each per month)
• 48 packages of menstrual pads and liners (4 each per month)
• 24 books (2 per month)

McKenzie has committed to donating:

• 12 FULL bags of books and toys (1 per month)
• 48 self care items (4 per month)
• Blankets and towels for her local animal shelter
• Doing good deeds in her neighborhood

But, I hope to add lots of socks, several coats, and many packages of diapers and dog food too. Check back throughout the year to see our donations pile up and share yours as well!

Comment and let us know what YOU will commit to donating or doing for your local community in 2017!

Love this post? Check out these additional articles:

And, while you are in the spirit of giving, get into the gratitude attitude as well! We've created a simple, one sentence gratitude journal, available in three colors, for you to create a simple daily gratitude practice. Just write down one sentence every evening or morning about what you are grateful for that day! Keep it up for a month and then read it over whenever you are feeling down. Get yours in our Etsy shop HERE or click on the image:

Single mom of an only child Christmas traditions

Being a single mom is both the most wonderful and the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. 

I love the freedom of not having to run my thoughts and ideas by anyone else and of being in charge of every decision on my own. I love how close my son and I are. I love how easy it is to basically just do whatever we want without worrying too much about too many other people.

I don't love not having anyone to lean on when times are tough or when I need a counterbalance in my parenting. I don't love having to make every HARD decision on my own. I don't love not having all the same family traditions I grew up with around the holidays.

As a single mom to an only child, I've found that our holiday traditions have changed a lot over the years, but over the last few years, we've found an easy holiday rhythm to our lives--however, this year will be a lot different...more on that later...

Santa still visits
First and foremost, my son has always gotten a stocking full of goodies from Santa--we have an "if you say you believe, then Santa will come! The second you say you don't believe, Santa stops!" agreement. My son was allowed to tell me ONCE and ONLY ONCE his true thoughts on Santa if he wanted the stocking tradition to continue. So far, at 18, he has stuck by that and still gets a stocking every single year!

I love helping out Santa!

However, WHEN my son gets his stocking and HOW he gets it have changed dramatically since he was a young tyke! For the past six years, we have not had a fireplace and we also have both given in to our night owl tendencies (McKenzie's kids are committed early worms!).

So, over the last few years, instead of getting his stocking, stuffed full of goodies, from the fireplace mantel on Christmas morning, as was the tradition when I was a child, my son has to search the house for his treats! 

Santa, ahem, leaves the stocking and treats all in one place, but hidden away. 

And, they can only be found AFTER midnight so that it is already Christmas!

A Charlie Brown Christmas
After the stocking has been found, we gather 'round the laptop to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas--it's a classic that I grew up with and now my son has grown up with it too! When my son was younger, we watched this classic ever year, but not on a particular timetable. For the past six years, A Charlie Brown Christmas has been a firm date at about 1230am on Christmas morning!

JP gathers his stocking and treats from Santa, I make hot chocolate, and we eat candy and watch the video while cuddled up together and with our dogs, all under a pile of blankets on the floor.

One Christmas gift at midnight
My son also gets to open one Christmas present of MY choosing between finding his stocking from Santa and watching A Charlie Brown Christmas. This really came about because he would beg and beg and beg to open his presents early! I finally caved and let him open ONE and ONLY ONE early, but only if I chose it. 

Holding off on the "big" present
I have always gotten my son one large present (whether in size or price or level of want) and several smaller items. I purposely get to chose the present that is opened early because I don't want him to find the one big one and then be let down by all of the others. 

In fact, I usually hide the "big" present and he gets to open it LAST, after we've had Christmas day brunch.

By holding out on the "big" present, my son is allowed to enjoy his other gifts and Santa treats and to appreciate them and our time spent together before he gets the awe-inspiring gift. Last year the big gift was a Wacom Bamboo digital tablet. A few years earlier it was a HUGE Nerf dart gun that he'd been begging for over the prior two years!

Christmas day brunch and lounging
We don't get up early ever if we can avoid it, and Christmas day is no exception. After watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, we both eventually drift off to our beds and fall asleep, waking in the morning at whatever time we happen to rise. But, even last year, my son was still up early and ready to open presents! 

Eventually, we both get up and open most of our presents and I put together a big brunch of bacon, ham, eggs, and FTWP (french-toast-waffled-pancakes...I'll explain in a future post!). I rarely ever make bacon, and FTWP is a multi-step, messy process reserved for special occasions, so this is definitely a brunch that is more in the traditional holiday meal category rather than an every day or even every weekend meal.

The rest of the day, we basically lounge around, enjoying our new goodies (I usually have a few new books and some new pajamas or a new throw blanket) and we relax and play board games too. 

Our single mom to an only child Christmas traditions have resulted in some of my absolute favorite memories over the past six years and it will be hard to do something dramatically different this year--hard for both of us.

This year, we are both going on big adventures, but not together. To be totally honest, I'm a little heartbroken to be apart over Christmas, but unless I find $6,000 (or more) out of the blue in the next two days and with no strings attached, that's how it will be. 

This year, my son will be going to New York City to visit some of our very best friends while I travel with my uncle to Argentina to deal with some business relating to my uncle's estate (my uncle was diagnosed with brain cancer just 3 months ago and is putting his affairs in order, including real estate overseas). Because my uncle doesn't celebrate Christmas and isn't a parent, I don't think he realized what a big deal it was that he booked our trip over the Christmas holiday. Since I can't afford to buy my son a ticket to Argentina, even with the generosity of others, we are taking separate trips and will have to figure out some new traditions for this year. Any suggestions?

Are you a single parent? If so, what holiday traditions do you follow with your kids? Have those traditions evolved over time?

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5 Things I do to tame Holiday Hoopla craziness

It's that time of year again!

There is so much to celebrate and do with friends, family, and school! It's a busy time of year full of special treats, festive traditions, and making memories. For many families (mine included), it also tends to be a stressful time of year.

I don't know if it's the anticipation, the extra activities (and sugar!), or just the holiday season in general, but my kids tend to go NUTS at this time of year! For 11 months out of the year, my children are (mostly) adaptable, able to reason, and can function pretty well in our household without making it implode.

Until we get to December....dun dun dunnnnnn.

It's like a switch flips and we have new kids! When did we participate in a kid swap?

I've noticed this escalating for the past couple of years, and I have really tried to pair down our festivities and choose only ones that will not incite hysterical chaos in our house. (Is that even possible with a 3 and 5 year old?)

Anyway, here are some of the things I've done and plan to continue to do this year to keep my little family from falling off of the rails...

1. Keep meal times consistent and healthy.
We are the perfect definition of a family who gets "hangry"--so hungry that we tend to get angry. It's so easy to cave in and grab convenience foods as a result, so I try minimize fast food, random dinner nights out, and extra sweets and junk food. We tend to eat dinner around the same time every night anyway, but I pay extra attention to that during November and December.

In addition to consistent meal times, I try to have a little plate of cut up veggies, fruits, and crackers (my daughter calls them snack trays) out so that my kids, husband, and I can graze when we feel like it between meals. I know some people have strong feelings about snacks between meals, but my kids really need them. If they weren't eating meals at mealtimes, then I would rethink this, but for us it works!

2. Give them a treat in the morning.
Yes, I said it. Treats in the morning aren't an every day thing or part of our normal routine, but on a day that my little ones want that cookie or piece of candy, I let them have it--but only in the morning.

I know this sounds crazy, but my kids sugar crash hard. If we wait until after dinner to have that little treat, it's a disaster and if we have a treat after lunch then they crash right before dinner which is the craziest time of day in my house.

A small, single morning treat seems to work for us. My kids burn off the sugar high throughout the day and we don't have to try to get sugar crazed kids to bed on time.

3. I don't do advent calendars that have gifts or toys in them.
We tried this toy-based advent calendars one year and it didn't go well. Maybe my kids were too young. Maybe I had too many ideas of how it should go. Regardless, it wasn't pleasant. My son ended up thinking he got a gift every single day and didn't understand the concept of the advent calendar. My daughter pretty much chewed on her toys and then forgot about them.

It made me sad because advent calendars are so cute and I really wanted them to work out. I think that it was too much and my kids were too young. Toy-based advent calendars just added to the chaos of the season for us.

I do plan to try them again, someday, but I don't think that I"ll be making it an annual tradition. This year, I did pick up an advent calendar with a daily piece of chocolate though, and I think I'll let them open them in the mornings to do double duty with that morning treat I mentioned above! :)

That said, I have had success in the past with a holiday book advent calendar--check out THIS post with our list of recommended books and tips on putting this together.

4. We don't say yes to every party and event.
We happen to know quite a few people who host holiday parties and, while we really love to see everyone, I am very careful with how much I schedule for us (read THIS post to learn more about why).

I tend to be an over scheduler as it is, so this is really hard for me. I try to make an extra special effort to keep as much down time as possible in our schedules so we aren't all exhausted, run down, and sick by the end of the month. It's not worth it to be overextended, and thankfully our friends seem to understand and try to do the same.

The point is to ENJOY the holidays, not to be exhausted and irritated and just DONE, right?

5. We are starting a new tradition.
This is one I'm starting this year. I have asked my kids to pick out a few toys that they don't play with or want anymore so we can donate them to a child. I want my kids to get away from the "I want every toy in the entire world for Christmas" mentality and into the spirit of giving. I hope that over time, my kids ill understand why it is so important. I am excited to do this with them!

My kids have gotten things together before to donate, but never around Christmas when they are focused on what THEY want for themselves. I plan to talk about how we need to make room for new toys before Christmas as well.

I should add that I feel like our holiday season is extra long because my son's birthday is a mere 10 days after Christmas and my daughters birthday follows quickly in February. So we go straight from Christmas into back-to-back birthdays. It can get a little nuts and there are a lot of gifts/toys/stuff flying in and out of this house!

I don't know if any or all of these tips will work for you, but I thought I'd share since this time of year is crazy for just about everyone!

What do you do to minimize the nuthouse holiday syndrome in your family? My ears are wide open for ideas!

And, if you have a moment, be sure to check out these additional great posts, including our top picks for holiday gift giving:

• Mom2MomEd Gift Guide: Pre and Early Readers Children's Advent Book Calendar
• Mom2MomEd Gift Guide: Elementary School Readers Advent Book Calendar
• Mom2MomEd Gift Guide: What Busy Moms Want
• 15 ways to have low or no tech family fun
• How REAL moms get it all done

Want another fun and cute way to tame your holiday madness? Pare down your gift giving to a want, a need, a wear, and a read and keep track of your gift buying/planning list with this fun printable from our Etsy shop:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving from Malea and McKenzie to you and yours! 

We hope you will have a holiday filled with family, love, and gratitude!

Mom2MomEd Gift Guide: What busy moms want

Friends, have you thought about what to get for the moms on your list this holiday season?

As two busy moms, McKenzie and I spend an embarrassing amount of time fantasizing about what we wish we could afford to buy for ourselves to make our lives easier...seriously, it comes up at least once in every conversation we have. So, we have compiled a list of what we believe are some great gift options for the busy moms in your life--it could be for YOUR mom, your wife or girlfriend, a sister or aunt, a best friend, or any other mom that's on your list.

But first... 

A story on what NOT to buy a mom... 

Picture the Christmas tree, a small pile of gifts beneath it, a happy mom, smiling dad, and excited 3 year old little boy. So sweet! Gifts start to get unwrapped and the paper and ribbons are flying. The little boy is oh-ing and ah-ing over everything. The dad is thrilled that you remembered his favorite movie and got the DVD and a few other things he had mentioned over the past year.

You put a lot of thought into the gifts you bought for your small family.

You expected your partner to get you something with just as much thought behind it--especially since he asked you for a list of things you really wanted.Your list included a few books that had just come out.

He hands you a package that looks and feels like it might be a couple of books. He tells you that he knows it's what you really wanted for Christmas.

You are thrilled!

Until you open the package...

...it is a modem. A computer modem. 

Something you neither wanted nor needed.

You look at him confused, and he says, "Well, I want a new modem so I'm going to take the modem out of my computer and put it in yours and I'll put this one in mine! Then you get a newer modem too! It's like a gift for both of us!"

I looked around for the books I was hoping for. Nope. Nothing. No other gifts beneath the tree.

Your gift isn't even a gift for you.

Worst. Christmas. Present. Ever.

Anyhow, with that out of the way, here are some gift giving ideas for the moms in your life! Be sure you put some thought into your gift giving and that the gifts you give are actually wanted by the people you are giving them to--gift giving shouldn't be about you, but rather about the person on the receiving end.

WHAT THESE TWO MOMS WANT:

Coffee--Starbucks gift cards (or their preferred coffee shop...McKenzie and I are B.I.G. Starbucks fans...like HUGE...like, we would not turn down Starbucks gift cards...ever...); Starbucks VIA packs or a bag of coffee beans* 

Tea--but a kind or flavor she likes and the really upscale, pricey version that almost no mom would splurge on for herself*

*A note about coffee mugs...unless you KNOW she likes a particular style of mug (travel or regular) or that she is in need of mugs, consider NOT buying her a mug. Most moms I know have TONS of coffee mugs already and don't need more--seriously, we don't want more dishes! We already have a dirty sink full!

Books--A book she has been wanting but keeps putting off buying

TIME ALONE...seriously. Buy her a Starbucks gift card, a book or a stack of her favorite magazines, and watch her kids for a few hours while she goes and enjoys time to herself at a coffee shop.

Adult beverages--bottles of her favorite wine or a 6-pack of a favorite beer or a gift subscription for her favorites

Lip balm--McKenzie loves EOS (click HERE for a really cool pack of 8--it's like Lip Smackers for moms!) while Malea prefers Burt's Bees (especially THIS one).

Essie Nail Polish--like THIS really cute holiday gift set. 

Professional auto detailing--preferably done by a mobile service that will come to her house!

Gorgeous candles from Anthropologie or Bath and Body Works (if you know what kind of scents she likes)

Gift cards to Bath and Body Works or the Body Shop if she's into delicious and luxurious lotions and soaps or to Sephora or Ulta if she loves makeup.

GO BIG OR GO HOME GIFT IDEAS FOR MOM:

Housekeeping--buy her a set of visits from a housekeeper. McKenzie and I both agree that a housekeeper, even if only for an hour or two per week would really revolutionize our lives! If you can go large with your Christmas gift for that special mom in your life, spring for a weekly visit for as many weeks as you can afford!

Meal Services--Ok, we both think meal services that send you a box of ingredients and a recipe, but seriously, how about a service that prepares the meals and delivers them already put together? I don't mean calling up a restaurant and ordering food. I mean, a dedicated meal service like a personal chef type of deal. Even if it's just a meal delivered once per week--maybe on mom's busiest night of her week--it could go a long way towards sanity! Just make sure the meal service or delivery actually has options mom will like and is able to eat (for example, I have a severe dairy allergy and prefer vegan foods anyhow).

IDEAS FROM OUR MOM FRIENDS:
Movie tickets and free babysitting--Buy her a pair of movie tickets pay for her babysitter too! Either give her a pair so she can take her spouse or partner with her, take her yourself and arrange for the babysitting to take place at your house so she doesn't have to worry about any cleaning up, or send her to the movies on her own while you watch her kids if you know she likes movies alone!

Bubble bath kit--a gorgeous bubble bath that truly foams up and smells great, a candle and lighter or matches to go with it, loofah or body scrub brush. 

Appliance repairs--Is her dishwasher broken and you know someone that can fix it? Make it happen!

A Camelback and/or a Hydro Flask water bottle

New cookbooks--Alton Brown's newest was specifically mentioned, but I also would add Thug Kitchen, Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis, and Taste of Home Casseroles, Slow Cooker, and Soups.

A new pillow and new, super soft throw blankets

High quality baking sheets and cupcake tins with high quality, cute, colorful cupcake liners--you know, the good ones that are more expensive than she'd be willing to buy herself!

Entry into a 5k or other race she has been talking about--one friend specifically mentioned the Spartan Race, but for fun, why not buy entry for you and your mom friend to a Bubble Run or Color Run so you can do it together?

Jewelry--but ONLY if you know her particular style.

A gift card for her favorite clothing store, or if she's active a gift card to her favorite athletic store (I'd take one to Fleet Feet, personally!)

Uggs boots 

Free babysitting (do you see a theme here?!)

Garden stones with kids' handprints or footprints on them

Use of the bathroom without interruption (Isn't this on ALL of our mom wishlists????)

Moms, what is on YOUR wishlist?

Check out our other Holiday Gift Guides:

• 20 ways to treat your fellow moms
• Pre and early readers children's book Advent calendar
• Elementary school readers book Advent Calendar

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