A moment for the magic-makers

[ReaderIGhostedHim]

Every time I read the threads on this board I am inspired by the people (let’s face it - mostly women) who put considerable effort into making Christmas magical for their children/loved ones.

This week I have wrapped a load of presents, hidden them, chosen special gift tags to show Santa has delivered them, ordered a little tree and decs for my child’s room, booked Santa, told grandparents what child would like and researched cost, started making Christmas cards and gifts as money is tight this year… dh has sighed/tutted/ignored all of the above. I do like doing it but If I didn’t do it, it wouldn’t be done - there would probably be a Christmas tree and a school nativity but that would be it.

AIBU to think that the magic makers deserve a bit more credit?! Are you thanked by your SOs for the effort you make?

Yes I agree!
I've seen a quote going around before saying how I realise that the Christmas magic I felt as a child was really the feeling of a parent that loved me so much.

It doesn't even need to be the money or gifts, but the little traditions and thoughtfulness that make it feel so special.

Absolutely ♥️

I love being a magic maker! But everyone definitely takes it for granted and low-key makes fun of me for the amount of effort I put in.

And glittery santa "footsteps" going up the stairs

I think children should take it for granted, it's when they grow up that it should be appreciated. Other adults should be chipping in of course and I know the reality is it's very often one person (woman) in the family. It was when I was married and looking back also when I was a child. We were/are very much loved by my dad, he's a wonderful man who never held back on showing and telling the whole world how much he adores us, but beyond being good at wrapping gifts I'm sure he did very little about Christmas except enjoy it. It was all my mum. The planning, the gifts, the huge extended family dinner, the hair in rags for the school party, the stockings sneaked onto our beds. One year I heard sleigh bells outside when I was in bed and I've still no idea if my mum did that or if it was my own overactive imagination but either way it was very much true magic created by my mum.

I love that quote about the feeling of magic being a parent who loved us and I hope my child has felt magic too.

What's a SOs ?

I absolutely adore Christmas and really enjoy everything about it, my DH is the one who does all the extra bits, he actually starts planning different things to do from early November, our house always looks like Santa's grotto 😁 our youngest is 17 and he still does it so I'm very thankful for him doing that as I'd probably have just regular stuff.

Well I got out the Christmas cards I’ve bought for DH’s family earlier today and got the first of DH’s annual eye rolls about how he doesn’t want to engage with Christmas and it’s ridiculous to be 1. thinking about Christmas cards this early 2. sending any at all 3. he doesn’t even like his family anyway so why bother.

This will go on until a few days before Christmas (way after the last posting dates, and usually at the point when all the main shops are closing), and at that point he will then claim that he really wanted to do all of Christmas this year, but I have “taken it over” and prevented him from doing anything, and if it were not for my “obsession with Christmas” he would have done it all. <my eyes roll so hard they practically pop out of my head>

So it’s very much not appreciated here 😬

Significant Other

Oh the sleigh bells! That’s just beautiful

Thanks for all your replies, and absolutely love the quote - I’m going to hold onto that one!

@Juliagreeneyes sorry you have a similar experience. You’ve given me a good idea though - every time DH rolls his eyes I’m going to roll mine back ten times harder 😂