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With the holidays fast approaching, moms and dads all over the world are struggling to create the perfect Christmas. Whether it is finding the newest toys, attending a festive recital, or creating a fairytale-like ambiance, it all falls on the shoulders of the parents. Needless to say, it might become tiresome at best.

In fact, according to a 2021 C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll, kids and parents themselves tend to create unrealistic expectations, which might be difficult to fulfill. That often increases stress; however, families still find a moment to giggle amid the chaos. And there are plenty of tweets that prove it.

In order to remind you that there is no perfect way of dealing with the holidays, we have gathered some of the funniest Christmas vs. Parenting struggles. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy these tweets!

When it comes to holidays, parents have similar ways of perceiving the season itself, as well as prevailing expectations and main stressors. Based on the aforementioned C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital report, nearly all of them (96%) perceive the festive season as an overall joyous time; however, 18% state that the levels of stress tend to rise during the period. The poll also discovered that one-fifth of parents believe that their children have unrealistic expectations for Christmas. One-fourth admit that they’re guilty of having similar expectations of themselves.

The report indicated six main stressors that have an impact on parents’ well-being during the holidays. They include extra shopping and errands, keeping the family healthy, household finances, planning for gatherings, making special meals, and criticism from family members about holiday plans. If any of these sound familiar, do not worry, you are not alone in battling the less-glamorized aspects of the festivities.

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    Despite the abundance of holiday-themed songs, surprisingly few describe parents’ actual musings during Christmastime. Such as pondering what the perfect gift for your child is - a headache parents face every year.

    Based on the findings of the Gift Decisions by Kids and Parents research, kids name TV as the most common source of ideas for Christmas gifts, followed by the influence of friends. The researchers came to this conclusion by analyzing letters to Santa, the best advisor for any puzzled parent.

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    Gustav Gallifrey
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Victorian child: 'Thank you for the lump of coal. If i could only afford some matches...'

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    In addition to the struggles of choosing the perfect gift, families also worry about expenses. The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital report states that 29% of interviewed parents describe household finances as one of the main stressors during the holidays.

    Based on these entertaining tweets, kids seem to be oblivious to Santa’s Little Helpers leaving empty parcel boxes around or hiding presents in their closets. They are, however, very insightful when it comes to holiday spending and gifts.

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    Gustav Gallifrey
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What you do is, you get a lot of empty cartons/boxes of Xmas gifts size, wrap them in Xmas paper, and burn one of those every time you need to. Cop that, Mr. 8-Years-Old.

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    Being on one’s best behavior to avoid a lump of coal on Christmas Day is not an easy task for anyone. Research on What Makes for a Merry Christmas? carried out in the Journal of Happiness Studies surveyed people aged 18 to 80 to determine how different factors affect their emotional state during the holidays. Even though 74.8% of the respondents rated their level of satisfaction above neutral, 43.6% of them agreed on relating this time of the year to stress.

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    As cozy and serene as it often seems in movies or magazines, a family Christmas might actually become quite a quest. Such gatherings are usually followed by a to-do list, including holiday shopping, lots of planning, and meal prepping. These worries were also listed in the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital report, with shopping being the most prominent stressor (31%). It was followed by planning the function (23%) and making holiday meals (22%).

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    Mildly Annoyed Penguin
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My oldest is becoming quite adept. I think she secretly practices on her younger siblings.

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    In addition to creating the perfect Christmas Day for the entire family, parents have to deal with festive customs leading up to it. From placing the magical Elf on the Shelf to going through the ultimate patience test trying to unravel the Christmas lights. It is often by trial and error that they learn what holiday-related mishaps might arise each year. Be that as it may, with the use of technology, they can share giggle-worthy stories and find solace in the support from other parents. And Twitter is undoubtedly an excellent platform for that!

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    These hilarious Tweets only prove that festive misunderstandings happen to the best of us. And no parent is an exclusion! Despite all their effort and intricate planning, there might always be something out of their control. Nonetheless, cases as such can become amusing family folklore or quality online content at least.

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    Grudge-holding Treefrog
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    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Being a dad apparently comes with the power to sense when someone is within 1 meter of the thermostat

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    Tanja J
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    oh, I did this last week, I was perfectly chill. but my kids are 19yo.

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    All things considered, personal input to make the holidays a more pleasant experience for parents and children alike is never a bad idea. Whether it’s coming up with new family traditions or having a Christmas movie night, a small gesture might go a long way. Creating holiday cards, building gingerbread houses, or decorating the Christmas tree together are also great options for some quality family time!

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    Charlotte
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Deck the halls with tons of cardboard, stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp, sta-stomp stomp stomp.

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    It might be difficult to avoid holiday stress but there are, however, ways to reduce it. Respondents of the Mott Poll Report shared their methods of coping, the most popular of which was spending some time alone. Out of the interviewed parents, 71% chose this as their way of releasing tension during the festive season. Others turned to music (55%), exercise (46%), religion (28%), help from family members (23%), and work (15%).

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    Stolas
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    lol that sucks... i tested positive for COVID-19 this morning so same

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    Headless Roach
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trees decorated by kids are the best. Totally uneven, only the most shiny stuff, the biggest star and longest colour paper chains glued at the kindergarten. Take your boring ideal tree to instagram, if only my son were small again, I'd love him to decorate mine.

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    The unexpected wittiness of the little ones in the family often also works like an antidote to the holiday stress. A snarky remark or financial advice coming from a six-year-old is destined to either make you giggle or re-evaluate your entire expenditure. Consequently, parent blogs and social media accounts become a boundless source of such utterances. And an excellent supply of serotonin.

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    BakedKahuna
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My mum: Your brother's got you xyz for Christmas. But don't tell them you know about it, otherwise they will be upset. Me: ...

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    When it comes to Christmas, some parents would argue that it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Luckily, there are outlets for their at times hilarious frustrations and ways to connect with fellow moms and dads out there!

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    Blarrg
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ...the thing is that Santa has been working ahead, so...

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    Headless Roach
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She did not yet did ask to speak with the manager, but one of the coming years writing to the elves may not feel enough.

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    WildHoneyPie
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can just picture the kids shooting glances at each other "you think?" "Nah, do you?" "No, she wouldn't do that". But then they make the youngest, cutest kid talk first, just in case...

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    James Wood
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's better than what you might get out of 'Lizard King' + COOKED fettuccine, eh? Hey yo!

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    wowbagger
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    🎶🎶Boogers on noses, and sad sneezy kittens, bright shiny phlegm balls and snot streaks on mittens... 🎶🎶

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    GoldfishCrackers
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Easy fix. Let’s tell everyone, including Santa, that he brings everyone ONE gift. Everything else can be bought by family and friends.

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    Rebe
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Leave the door open and sing it confuses them so much they don't dare approach.

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