Are holidays out of control?

I tend to agree with the writer here, especially if you have kids. It's relentless. It's also the latest front in the moms arms race.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2903040/

 

Ehhh, there's about one a month.

My sister has four kids in school; she says it's never really been that big a deal.

Sis's answer (cleaned up somewhat for the younger kids): "We ain't doin' shit to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday; we buy his books, that's plenty good enough."

 

I'm torn on this...

I used to ignore almost all of the holidays when I was single. I would fly to see relatives at Christmas, but I would almost always fly in on the 24th and out on the 26th because I had basketball games and bowl games to cover.

Since I've gotten married and have kids, that's completely changed. We do the Elf on the Shelf for my kids and they love it. They get really into Christmas and Easter and it's fun. I realize I probably only have a few more years where they're as excited about it as they are so I'm enjoying every moment of it.

 

I think it's fun for the kids, Mizzou.

Sometimes I don't know if that's offset by the mom angst it causes. I read a good book about parenting recently that noted that the pressure to be the perfect house wife in the '50s has yielded to the pressure to be the perfect mom in the '10s.

 

It's interesting, of the people we know, it's the mothers who work who seem to go all out for holidays and birthdays etc... My wife falls into that category and I love it because it makes it more fun for the kids and I enjoy that.

It can get overwhelming at times, but as long as the kids enjoy it, I'm all in...

 

Holidays are fun for grown-ups, too, at least for this grown-up.

 

Agreed.

My only beef is with Halloween becoming a weeklong series of activities instead of one three-hour kids walk.

 

Interesting how the writer talks about Dr. Seuss and schools celebrating him. My understanding is the purpose is to encourage kids to read, going back to how so many kids who started reading did so by picking up a book by Dr. Seuss.

Getting kids to read is a good thing. What I wonder is whether the promotion of Dr. Seuss or how it is received is leading to kids wanting to read or just leading to kids who want to eat green eggs and ham and dress up like The Cat in the Hat.

 

I agree, too.

 

I quit reading after the first six words:

St. Patrick's Day was Monday.

 

Readers don't care if facts are wrong.

Seriously, this lady is pretty whiny. Either mark the holiday or don't. This "woe is me" shit doesn't fly with your kids.

 

The story was from last year. The Internet. Old things pop up as new.

That said, things like St. Patrick's Day and even how overboard Valentine's have gotten are ridiculous. We wore green as well. No silly other crap.

I'm all for Christmas and Easter fun.