Choosing Presence Over Perfection at Christmas
This post is part of our Christmas series, “A Slower, Fuller Christmas for Families,” created to help parents choose presence, peace, and faith during the holiday season.
Growing up, I was that child.
The one eagerly setting up the Christmas tree long before December arrived. The decorations came out early. The excitement came naturally.
I come from a large family. With entrepreneur parents, life was often full and demanding. Schedules were tight. Everyone was always building, creating, moving. But Christmas was different. It slowed us down.
No matter where school or work had taken us, Christmas was the season when, against all odds, we found ourselves under one roof again.
Looking back, I don’t remember a perfectly styled home or flawless decorations. I remember warmth, laughter spilling into rooms and conversations that lasted late into the night. Being together.
Now, as a parent myself, sometimes I feel the quiet pressure to “get it right.” The perfect tree, the perfect meal and the perfect family moments. But motherhood has reminded me of something simple and freeing;
Children won’t remember perfect décor.
They’ll remember how home felt.
They’ll remember being seen.
Being included.
Being loved.
Presence is the gift that outlasts everything else. And when we choose connection over perfection, we give our families something far more meaningful than anything wrapped under the tree.