Take a deep breath, and enjoy it.

For us Moms, the holidays are a whirlwind of planning, shopping, cooking, cleaning, returning things and shopping some more, wrapping gifts, making trips to the post office — the list is long and it’s amazing that it all gets done. One more thing to add to your list? Enjoy it! Often we get so caught up in doing things for everyone else that we forget to pause and enjoy the season ourselves.

If the thought of decorating 4 dozen cut-out cookies is stressing you out, try a simpler recipe this year. The kids will have just as much fun putting thumbprints in cookie dough as they would smearing icing all over your kitchen—with a lot less cleanup. Before you head out to exchange that sweater for a bigger size, ask yourself, do I really need to do this now? Can’t it wait until after I’ve read “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” to my son?

Yes, making a list and checking it twice is part of Christmas. But so is spending time with your family and enjoying the family traditions you’ve worked so hard to maintain. Every little thing you do, from baking cookies to the extra care you take with wrapping gifts, is a memory you are creating for your family. Make each memory a happy one.