'Moms Talk' Q & A: What's your least favorite part of the holiday season?

Each week the council will answer a question on parenthood posed to them by readers or another member of council.

Since we've already talked about holiday traditions and the good points about the season, this week the Mom Councils discusses the downside of the holidays.

This topic is on my mind every year as we make plans to go to so many different places - my family, her mother's side, her father's side, the cousins, etc. - all in different places.

Divorce has made it necessary to see so many people separately and while you're happy to see them, it's an aggravation and logistical nightmare trying to fit it all in.

Now on to the Moms Council.

Susan Jerome: My least favorite part of the holiday is the running. I even tried to do some things different this year by doing one or two tasks every night on the way home from work. I try to keep focused that this is a celebration of my religion and it is very difficult because you get pulled in to the gift giving, decorating, and baking.

Being single, it is even more stressful because there is no one to share the tasks. Sometimes I think it was so much better the way my parents celebrated when they were young. They received an orange for Christmas, on the good years, and the focus was on family and celebrating.
 
Sometimes I wonder where we went wrong? When did the focus become presents? I don't even know how to reverse the trend we've created.
 
When it's all said and done, I am happy I celebrated and did all the work to make it another wondrful holiday with my children and family.