Mom shares simple after-Christmas tradition in viral video, and it’s perfect

Christmas has officially arrived, which means most moms can now start to slow down from going into super-holiday-cheer mode. You were likely the one wrapping presents, filling stockings, taking photos, making breakfast, and generally producing Christmas Morning Magic. It’s a lot, and can be overwhelming (not to mention thankless). But traditions don’t have to be complex and over the top to be special.

Casey Chavara (@thechavarastory on Instagram) shared her family’s simple after-Christmas tradition in a viral reel.

“Such a simple tradition but I LOVE it. Before we put the kids’ stockings away each year, we have them write (or we do it for them) a little note about top moments from that Christmas,” she explained in the caption. “Favorite gift to give, favorite gift to get, memorable moments. (The grown ups do it too!) Then we tuck them into the stockings and store for the year. Putting up stockings is so sweet because we get to read back about previous Christmases!”

The video shows her family taking out their stockings this year and reading what they wrote for 2022.

The holidays also come with tempering expectations, both for ourselves and our children. When it comes to receiving gifts, it’s easy to get caught up with pleasing gift givers (especially if it’s family) and forcing our kids to say “thank you.” But Dr. Becky explains why this is not the right way to teach children manners and gratitude.

“We never teach manners or gratitude, which is the feeling a kid needs to actually say thank you on their own without a reminder, through shame or pressure,” she says in a reel. “It doesn’t work for kids. It doesn’t work for adults. That isn’t effective. We can teach gratitude and manners through preparation and practice and modeling.”

Here are the examples she gives:

“Say to your kid, ‘Hey, I’m thinking people are gonna give you gifts. How might you respond? Wanna practice?”

“Another thing you might say. ‘Hey, hmm sometimes it’s tricky to say thank you to someone for a gift you don’t even like. Huh, I guess we can do both. We can not really love a gift and still say thank you because it’s so nice someone thought of us.’”

“If the thank you still doesn’t happen, model it. ‘Thank you so much. Tommy loves this present.’ ‘Thank you so much, you know that Raj loves puzzles and you got him one. That’s so nice!’”

The holidays are overwhelming, stressful, exhausting, overstimulating, and absolutely magical! If you’re feeling burnt out, you’re not alone. But just remember, you’re unlocking some special core memories for your children and creating traditions that they’ll cherish forever and maybe even pass down to their own kids someday.