5 Holiday Traditions You'll Be Merrier Without (And How To Get Around Them)

I’m one of those moms who puts her tree up the week after Halloween — it’s like a switch gets flipped inside me and I simply must have colored, twinkling lights in my living room. And yet, as much as I love the holidays, almost every year I get hit with a moment of overwhelm. One minute I’m laughing with my tween as she prances around wearing garland like a scarf, and the next minute I’m hyperventilating into my eggnog.

That’s because, as with the vast majority of moms out there, it’s on me to make the holidays magical. A new survey from Wakefield Research in partnership with Microsoft Store found that among millennial moms, (84%) say they take on the majority of the holiday tasks. Close to half of us (42%) say we’re more likely to win the lottery this year than for someone else in our family to take over holiday prep.

Perhaps it’s time we let go of some of the items on our holiday to-do lists. Nine out of ten of us (88%) would rather spend more quality time with family and friends than shop for gifts — so let’s make that happen. Here are five holiday “traditions” you can ditch or outsource.

1. Saying Yes To All The Things

You may feel obligated to attend your aunt’s holiday dinner that’s a two-hour drive from you and conflicts with your kid’s chorus concert. Or maybe it’s a work party you simply don’t want to attend. Whatever it is, you don’t have to say yes. There’s nothing magical about feeling stressed and crunched for time — not for you, and not for your family. Give yourself the gift of saying no, guilt-free.

2. White-knuckling Through Endless Tasks

We’re tidying the house for guests, decorating, planning and purchasing gifts, and baking classroom treats — our to-do lists are endless, and sometimes thankless. Sneak in a few moments for yourself while you’re busy with holiday tasks. A great way to do this is to stream music, podcasts, and audiobooks you love with your Surface Headphones 2. With noise cancellation and an incredible 18.5 hours of listening time, who doesn’t want to get lost in a great book while wrapping presents and sipping a peppermint mocha?

3. Having A “More Is More” Mentality

It’s tempting to try to wow the fam with a massive pile of presents. But then you end up with a house full of more stuff than people know what to do with. Instead of going for quantity, select quality gifts that you can be sure will get used every day. Even on a budget, you can find gifts for your loved ones they’re sure to love — Microsoft Store has a whole section of gifts under $100, from Microsoft and Xbox gift cards, Xbox Wireless Controllers, Surface Arc Mouse, family games, movies, and more.

4. Doing Things The Hard Way For The Sake Of “Tradition”

Everyone has that cousin who pens an articulate, photo-filled “family update letter” every year, delivered in a festive envelope and addressed in hand-painted calligraphy. Meanwhile you upload a family photo to social media, in which one child is sliding down your leg in the process of escaping your arms, her face frozen in a beet-red, mid-tantrum scream. (Me too, friend.)

It’s OK, we can be smugly superior at other things — like using technology to streamline holiday tasks. 84% of millennial moms have plans for lightening the holiday load this year, with 3 in 4 saying they plan to streamline gift shopping specifically. Equip yourself with a Surface Pro 8 from Microsoft Store and you’ll have the perfect tool to streamline all your holiday to-dos, whether you’re digitally designing your holiday card or using Microsoft Edge to find the best coupons and price comparisons for items on your list.

5. Doing ALL The Shopping

Millennial moms spend an average of 14 hours shopping and planning for gifts, even though it’s one of the jobs we’d most like to outsource — 32% of us would rather have a personal shopper do our holiday shopping than an all-inclusive spa weekend.

Well, you actually can outsource some of your shopping. If you need help finding the perfect gift, Microsoft Store offers scheduled or on-demand personal shopping appointments with on-camera product experts, seven days a week … completely free. Not only that, but once you have your new devices in hand, Microsoft Store product experts are available to walk you through setup.

Hey, did you hear that? That’s the sound of your holiday mental load getting a little bit lighter.

Your holiday magic-making just got easier. Learn more at Microsoft Store.