Single Mom Not Giving Presents To Her Kids 'Hates' Christmas & Says It's The Most Stressful, Miserable Time Of The Year
She refuses to put energy into a holiday that she has no help with.
Studio Romantic / Shutterstock A mother's rant about Christmas has resonated with other parents after she admitted that the holiday season was the most stressful time of the year for her.
In a TikTok video, a content creator and single mother named Enitza shared that the mental and physical load at Christmastime was something she would not participate in.
A single mom, who is not giving her kids presents for Christmas, said it's the most miserable and stressful time of the year.
"To any other mother who hates Christmastime, you're not alone. I hate Christmastime," Enitza began in her video. She explained that her hate for the holiday was something she kept secret from her children, but she personally, did not like it at all.
"Do I like it? No. Is this the most stressful, miserable time of the year? Yes?" she continued. On top of that, she refused to do the tradition of Elf on the Shelf — a premise where every night, your elf flies to the North Pole to tell Santa Claus whether your children have been naughty or night. Enitza claimed that any of those classic Christmas traditions were things she refused to do.
She also admitted that she wasn't getting her kids presents this Christmas either, and she wasn't sad about it, despite having a close relationship with her children.
"We do all kinds of other [things], and I'm like, 'You guys know, Mommy's just one Mommy, and there's five of us, but Mommy's trying.'" Enitza explained that she would rather put the money for Christmas presents into other things, including traveling and going on vacation with her kids instead of spending money for one single day.
"It's just so hard to keep up with everything," she added. "I just finished getting the kitchen clean from Thanksgiving, I know that sounds stupid, but Christmastime is hard. Christmastime sucks, and if you feel that way, you're not alone."
Mothers do more around the holidays when it comes to responsibilities.
In a 2006 study by the American Psychological Association, it was found that "holiday stress has a particular impact on women, who take charge of many of the holiday celebrations, particularly the tasks related to preparing meals and decorating the home." While the research was done over a decade ago, the findings still ring true today.
It's no secret that women carry the unequal burden all year long, but it comes to a head during the holidays. Mothers, especially those who are parenting alone, are often the ones scheduling the holiday celebrations, planning gift ideas, thinking of gift ideas, buying and wrapping them, and then having to deal with cleaning the house, and cooking on Christmas morning.
While the burden of holiday planning and everything in between shouldn't fall solely on women, it's still important that Christmas is special for kids.
Buying gifts doesn't have to be extravagant, and since the holiday is the same every year, there are never any surprises over running out of time and not being able to find anything.
The conversation sparked by Enitza's video invites a reconsideration of societal expectations around Christmas. It doesn't have to be a stressful and miserable time as a single mother, and there's nothing wrong with dialing it down and shifting toward a more flexible celebration time.
At the end of the day, the true spirit of Christmas is spending time with family and loved ones.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.