What would your wish list look like if you were really honest? I asked hundreds of moms and built an honest Christmas list based on their responses.
Slippers are great, and she might use a few spritzes of the perfume you got her, but what does the mom in your life (especially a mom of young kids) really want for Christmas? I asked hundreds of moms what they really wanted for Christmas this year and got some GREAT ideas. Some of these are funny. Some are completely impossible dreams. Others are heartbreaking. Most are REAL and HONEST. Take a gander and see what the moms around you just might be wishing for this Christmas.
1. To go to the bathroom ALONE or at the very least, without a child – or multiple children – hollering and banging outside the door.
2. Self-cleaning dishes and clothes. To be able to just shake the item and have it clean itself? Oh man, that would be incredible.
3. Self refilling water bottle. I get up to go to the sink and I forget halfway there what I was doing or I fill it and then set it down and don’t drink the water for an hour because I’ve forgotten where I set it down. Anyone else?
4. Voice-activated coffee pot. Can you imagine being able roll out of bed and just holler, “COFFEE!” while walking to the kitchen and it would be ready for you?
5. Magic wand, whatever you point it at gets cleaned up! I’d especially like it when I’m sitting down to nurse the baby, and I sit and stare at the disaster.
6. Can I say more time alone with just the hubs? I feel like our lovey-dovey phase is dwindling and I never thought it would.
7. Uninterrupted reading time. Or one 24 hour period where I could whatever I wanted whenever I wanted to do it (read: no responsibility)
8. A minivan… With 2 video screens!!
9. A day at the spa!!
10. A brand new house!
11. A cleaning lady and a cook!
12. I really wanted to go away on a trip as a family. Somewhere with a beach.
13. I want their dad to work less without sacrificing their quality of life. HA
14. Mine would be true peace and quiet for 48 hours. Going somewhere like Bora Bora and being able to quit my job and come back on hour 49. Somewhere I could take a friend, and leave my husband and child behind 100% knowing they are both healthy and spending quality time so my phone couldn’t ring with questions or a text telling me he has a fever or cough, where are his pajamas, or what should he have to eat etc. I would take a friend, and we’d have in-air massages, sushi, dessert and champagne, and be waited on hand and foot. We’d get there, and be totally disconnected from the world and just sit and stare at the ocean and fish. We’d have some cocktails and then when it’s time to go to bed, my friend would go home by herself, and I would retire to a 5-star hut for the rest of the trip to just be by myself. I’d come home to a happy family, a clean house, homework is done and I could start the morning without any hiccups. You said imaginary, right?
15. I just want 24 hours in my house ALONE so I can get my housework done!!
16. One day when everyone does what I ask them to do when I ask them to do it.
17. 48 hours in a hotel by myself to sleep. Room service. Sleep. Watch tv. Sleep. No phone no interruptions. No guilt! I need sleep!
18. I just want to know that I’ll match to a residency spot in a location that works for my entire family.
19. A weekly meal plan that fits everyone’s dietary needs and preferences, tastes good, and is quick and easy to prepare for the rest of my life.
20. A day home with my family where I can actually sit, relax, and enjoy the time with them while someone else does the chores, makes the food, and answers all the questions.
21. A weekend on a beach with my feet in the sand and not a kid in sight.
22. A service that comes and cleans my house and makes food for everyone for the week.
23. I also would like a beach weekend possibly by myself, maybe with the hubby.
24. Oh a real note Id love for someone to come in and give my house a good deep clean before this baby comes.
25. For real I’d love a real far away vacation with my husband.
26. I recently introduced my kids to The Jetsons so I’ve got lots of Christmas wishes… for example, a Rosie!!! And one of those machines I could walk into and come out showered and dressed in under 10 seconds. More and more I’m finding myself living in ponytails & cotton pants because I don’t find me time.
27. 24 hours alone with my husband.
28. Trip to Disney World with the family. Parents/in-laws to come too so we can have some time to ourselves
29. Cleaning fairies! Just go to bed and wake up to everything spotless everyday! That and coffee while it’s still hot in the morning!
30. To wake up debt free would be unbelievably awesome.
31. A personal chef that loves making healthy food
32. A free live in nanny.
33. Hubby to get his physical recovery completed.
34. To have my son’s speech therapy covered under our insurance.
35. Are we asking for things that are actually possible? If it has to be possible, then I’d ask for my hubby to have a good-paying job in town working same hours as me and our son, if I could have absolutely anything, it would be for my son to hear.
36. A magical pill that gives me the energy to always go the extra mile for my girls.
37. Mani, pedi, massage.
38. The knowledge I need to get my photography business up and running to help support my family.
39. Willpower to actually get things done that need to be when I do have the free time!
40. The ability to stay home and raise my daughter.
41. Realistically acupuncture, massage, pedi. Truly any wish, debt-free, a personal chef with tasty healthy meals, a maid, stay home with my babies, and become a professional philanthropist
42. A good book and time to read it! And possibly some bailey’s in my coffee
43. Two extra hours each day.
44. Comfort.
45. I keep thinking about no crying/whining… But immediately thought how lucky I am to have these kids and even with all the crying I wouldn’t change it for the world. I would however like a maid/cooking/laundry service, lol. And a bottle of wine, or two.
46. A vacation by myself lol! At a spa !
47. A day alone, to clean, read, eat and shower!
48. I second the maid/chef/laundry/ book/ giant margarita/ feel appreciated/ day off from groundhogs day, lol!
What we can learn from the honest Christmas list
From the sounds of this list, all the mommas need a day, or at least a few hours, to chill and not be in “mom mode.” So husbands, significant others, or other people who can make this happen for a mom in your life, try to make it happen. Offer to take on all kid-related duties (and actually do it) and push her out the door.
If money is tight perhaps send her to a coffee shop with a library book so she can maybe read something other than Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? If you’ve got a little wiggle room in the budget get her a gift card for a local spa or nail place to get a little pampering.
Whatever you do, do NOT text/call/smoke signal questions about the kids that can be figured out on your own. Emergency, yes, call. What to feed them? It’s called Google if you have legitimate questions. But I know you are smart and can figure it out! And PLEASE don’t complain about how difficult the day was when she returns. Just ask her how her time was and encourage her to do it again sometime.
Another common trend was time alone with the hubby. I totally agree! It’s rare in the parenting years, especially those early years when the kids are little and depend on us for so much to find time to be alone. Please don’t let parenting get in the way of your relationship! Kids grow up but long after they are gone your marriage will still be there and needs to be a priority. Can you swap babysitting with a friend? You take their kids so they can go on a date and they take your kids a different time so you can go on a date. How about at-home dates after the kids are in bed? Put away the phones/tablets/laptops and spend time together.
There are TONS of at-home date ideas floating around online so I’m sure you can find one that fits your life. Our favorite is to get a platter of sushi and watch a movie. Nothing crazy but it’s purposefully planned time together without other distractions. Time to connect and communicate.
Thank you to all the moms that responded to my question. I really appreciated hearing what you had to say! I pray that you are blessed this holiday season with rest and relaxation, well-behaved kids, time alone with your husband, financial blessings, healing, and all the other items on your Christmas list! Please don’t forget to pause during this season and take stock of all your blessings. These times can be draining but the joy is found when you take the time to look.
If you need a place to plan a stress free holiday season you can grab my printable holiday planner for free. You can also get free printable Countdown to Christmas activity cards if you go here.
