70% of moms are feeling more pressure to make this holiday season special

We’re still a week away from Halloween, but parents across the country are already in overdrive, trying to figure out how to make this holiday season feel special amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a new survey from Zulily and OnePoll, 7 in 10 moms report feeling pressure to make this upcoming holiday season stand out for their children. Moms have always been the humans behind the Christmas magic, but now we’re under even more pressure to be the Christmas spirit for our families (during a year when we have less energy to give).

The study was commissioned to understand how moms are planning for the holiday season. It found that a whopping 84% of moms say there will be a new normal this year. They’re planning to make the 2020 season their own by making their own holiday decorations (51%), planning fun family activities (37 percent), and writing thank you cards to essential workers (36%).

Whether it’s because families are home more this year or because parents are trying to step up their festive décor game, 70% of moms say they plan to decorate their homes for the holiday season and 64% say they’ll bake more holiday cookies this year, too.

Moms are often the unsung heroes of the holiday season. Someone is behind all the presents, decorations, sweet treats, and holiday magic, after all. And 63% of moms surveyed say they wish their families recognized all the hard work they do to make the holidays bright. Still, most moms (76%) say they’re just looking forward to seeing smiles on their kids’ faces.

And when it comes for planning beyond the 2020 holiday season, the majority of moms are feeling pretty optimistic—7 in 10 moms also say that when they think of 2021, they feel hopeful!

Whether you choose to celebrate the holiday season or not, we know you’re making the best decisions for your family. If you’re feeling the pressure to find the perfect presents, create a gorgeous holiday card or to decorate your home so it looks like Santa’s workshop, know this—what you’re doing, whatever you’re doing, will be enough for your family. You are enough, mama. Relax, take a breath, and remember: The holiday magic comes from you. Not the decorations or toys. You.