An Open Letter to Moms Everywhere This Holiday Season -

Little girl holding a letter to Dear Mrs. Claus

To Moms Everywhere,

Every day, you do more than any of us can imagine. We thank you for all of the many hats you’ve always worn and for the new hats you’ve had to wear this year. Even when times are tough, you light a spark of joy, imagination and ingenuity in the lives of those around you, especially this time of year. It’s time to acknowledge and celebrate the Mrs. Claus in all of us. It’s time to thank and recognize you as the original giver.

Mrs. Claus, thank you for running this holiday. We see you. We see you inside each and every mom and applaud you. And, we know that you are not some imaginary sidekick or wing woman, but the true force behind the holiday operation and every milestone. It’s time to shine a light on all that you do.

We suspect that during the holiday season you don’t get many letters—at least, not nearly as many as Mr. Claus. And they’re certainly not “thank you” letters. Your absence from holiday stories and songs hasn’t gone unnoticed. You too deserve letters and lyrics and anthems celebrating your giving spirit. We know you make holiday magic happen. You’re the one behind the scenes making sure everything goes smoothly, always. In fact, you’re a lot like the moms we know.

These days, you are both the breadwinner AND the bread baker, serving that bread with a side of “how was Zoom class?” all while making sure it’s allergen-free. You’ve navigated the twists and turns this year has thrown at you with grace and grit.

… Like when you became the family’s IT department, making sure everyone had everything they needed for class, juggling parent-teacher video calls with your own work calls and figuring out what to make for dinner.

… Like when you went from board-room-by-day to board-games-by-night, making sure we learned and appreciated what true togetherness meant, perhaps for the first time in a long time.

… Like when you said “yes” to the overtime, which meant missing out on bedtime, but being there bright and early for morning snuggles, even if bleary eyed, all so you could buy a new family tablet.

… Like when you made this year’s birthday one to remember. We couldn’t have friends or family over in-person, but you organized a car caravan of familiar smiles to drive by with signs, balloons and plenty of honking to make sure no milestone went uncelebrated.

… Like when you knew how to handle the long periods of quiet in quarantine and dealt with the acting out with compassion and creative distractions, because a hug and laugh makes it all better.

Mrs. Claus, you often know us better than we know ourselves. We recognize that culturally you don’t get enough credit for all the thought and work that goes into the holidays. And we know it’s not just about the holidays. It’s about the every day. You’ve always found a way to make others feel loved, even when it hasn’t been the easiest. You give selflessly and endlessly. You’re the keeper of this season, honoring family traditions while creating new ones. You know how to keep everyone together even when they need to stay safely apart.