According to my 7-year-old, the Grinch could take lessons from me on how to ruin Christmas.
So, without further ado, here are just some ways to have an un-Merry Christmas:
Lesson #1: No one in the house gets to open presents on Christmas morning until he/she eats at least a few bites of the special holiday breakfast Mommy lovingly prepares.
Lesson #2: All family members must pose for at least one photo in front of the tree while wearing Christmas pajamas prior to ripping into holiday loot.
Lesson #3: One (and only one) gift can be opened on Christmas Eve.
Lesson #4: Whatever was revealed as Christmas Eve gift cannot be taken into church and played with during Mass.
Lesson #5: Before tearing into a present, gift recipient must announce who the box is from, so Mommy can compile a thank-you list.
Lesson #6: “Skip brushing teeth and taking a bath for a year” is not a Christmas wish that will be granted by Santa or any other gift giver.
Oh, the horror!
Cue the violins, dim the lights, and call in the elves to haul me away to the Land of Misfit Moms.
Can I really be the only parent in the world that requires her child to eat breakfast or… GASP!… pose for a photo before opening Christmas presents?
The special breakfast is the holiday tradition my daughter hates the most, but I don’t let it deter me. I happen to enjoy extending the excitement of Christmas morning. To do so, I allow my daughter to go through her stocking and open all of her gifts from Santa. Then, we break to indulge in a festive meal served on fancy red and green dishes that are used just once a year. The menu includes special snowman pancakes that sit on a bed of mini marshmallows and are accessorized with bacon scarves and chocolate buttons. I also serve fruit salad, sticky buns and eggs.
Meanwhile, my kid would rather down a bowl of cold cereal and get on with the rest of the present opening—-STAT!
She’d also like it if my camera would magically disappear.
What holiday traditions do your kids despise the most?