My First Christmas as a Mom

One of the best things about being a mom is that you get to share the most incredible experiences with your children, like Christmas. The season brings with it so many tales and traditions that it is absolutely such a treat to make beautiful memories with your children.

When you first become a mom, however, the season may have brought with it a healthy share of anxiety. Some may not have known exactly how to go about it. Some may have wanted everything to be perfect. But however you felt about your first Christmas as a mom, there is one thing for sure: It was absolutely memorable!

Here, three moms share their first Christmas as a mom. Writer Anne Santos, mom of one, says, “My son was five months old when I celebrated my first Christmas as a mom. I was both excited and worried, excited because I was looking forward to celebrating Christmas with my baby and worried because I don’t know how he was going to take all the noise, late nights, and get-togethers. I wanted it to be perfect – from the kid-friendly decors, the cutest Christmas outfits, the perfect family photos, the perfect present.”

“I can hardly remember how it went (I blame epidural and the years of sleepless nights) but I distinctly remember how excited my son was over the many wrapping papers that he could rip. He ripped one Christmas wrapper after another, not minding the actual present that went with it. I loved the feeling of pure happiness it brought to all adults who were entertained by this ripping frenzy. That moment reminded me that Christmas is simply about the blessing of being together as a family – just like the very first Christmas. As the years went by, Christmas wrappers are still ripped, the tree has taken a mix of grown-up and kiddie decors, Christmas outfits would depend on what’s in our closets, family photos have to have wacky versions, and there’s the annual Christmas wish list, etc. It’s still stressful, but we always try to go back to that feeling of pure happiness to not lose sight of Christmas amidst all the chaos and merriment.”

“My first Christmas as a mom, like my whole first year as a mom, I was obsessed with making everything perfect,” recalls Dedet Panabi, mom of two, and former magazine editor.

“Cute gifts, cute photos. I think I planned the first family picture with the same obsession I planned cover shoots. How nuts is that?! Now… it’s all chill. Sometimes I forget to take pics. Or, ‘Quick, everyone smile so we can eat.’ Maybe it’s because my kids are older and will not tolerate being forced to dress up in matchy matchy outfits. But likely because I’ve learned to put down the camera and just enjoy the moment. It’s not going to be perfect – ever. Christmas is family and family is crazy and messy and very often not photogenic. But it’s fun, and there’s always a lot of food.”

Single mom of four and Mommy Mundo Content Head Jing Lejano says, “I remember how tiny my baby girl was. She was the first apo in the family, so we were all excited to have a little one again come Christmas time. I don’t recall ever being worried, perhaps because my parents always took the lead during the holiday season. Oh, and I got this bright red Christmas costume for her, which everybody thought was cute. But I ended up taking it off her because it was just too hot!”

“As the years went by, and I had one child after another, Christmas became rowdier and noisier, and so very busy. It was all a blur,  quite frankly, as holidays could sometimes be specially for us moms who have to take charge of things. But these days, Christmas is less tiring with my kids all grown. There’s no pressure about having to have the kids behave, searching for the perfect present, and cooking up a magnificent storm in the kitchen. Of course, there is still the occasional family drama, but I guess that will always be a part of any family gathering. But above all, my kids and I have all grown up enjoying each other’s company,  making it even more of a wondrous occasion for me!”