How Moms and Marketers Survive December
- Amanda Lillemoe
- Dec 3, 2024
- 3 min read
The other day, I found a strand of tinsel in my coffee cup, and I wasn’t even surprised. That’s the holiday season for you—magic and madness all rolled into one.
For marketers—or really anyone juggling work, life, and a sprinkle of holiday magic—December can feel more like a marathon than a celebration. Are we busy creating magic or too busy to enjoy it?
Let’s break it down.
Merry Chaos: A Marketer’s Holiday Hustle
I love marketing. I thrive on the hustle, the creativity, and the endless opportunities to solve problems and deliver results. But when December rolls around, my love for “doing it all” crashes headfirst into the chaos of the holidays.
Cue my house looking like a Christmas decor giant had a field day: tinsel in the weirdest places, a questionably decorated tree, and a gingerbread house mocking me from the counter because it will. not. stay. together.
But here’s the thing I’m learning: It’s okay to not be okay during the holiday season. Really.
The Chaos List
Maybe you’ll laugh, cry, or at least feel seen. Here’s a brain dump of what I’m managing right now:
Work deadlines: Are all my clients’ holiday campaigns on track? Did the “Holly Jolly Sale” email actually send?
Decorating: Is my house “festive” or “tacky chic”?
Gift shopping: Is there an award for hiding presents in the weirdest spots?
Capitalism confusion: Are Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, or Cyber Monday actually good deals?
Self-gifting: Did I buy myself gifts while shopping for others? Yes.
Late-night working: Because campaigns don’t magically optimize themselves.
Oh no, the gingerbread house is falling apart again.
Holiday Survival Tips for Mom Marketers
Spoiler: I don’t have all the answers. But as marketers, we’re equipped with some great tools to tame the chaos. Here’s how I’m applying them to my holiday life:
Spreadsheets Save Christmas: I use one to track gift purchases, budgets, and even addresses for holiday cards. Is it nerdy? Sure. Does it work? You bet.
Ask for Help: Delegate, delegate, delegate. Whether it’s assigning tasks at work or asking my family to wrap gifts and break down Amazon boxes, I don’t have to do it all alone.
Celebrate Small Wins: Did a campaign crush its KPIs? Celebrate. Did the gingerbread house stand for 12 whole minutes? Celebrate harder.
Surprise Yourself: Wrap the gifts you bought for yourself, act surprised on Christmas morning, and call it self-care.
Enjoy the Little Moments: The kids’ faces when they see the tree lit up? Worth every mismatched ornament.
Give Back: Adopting a family for the holidays brings the season back to what really matters.
Plan Ahead: Book that Caribbean vacation for December 2025. You deserve it. Skip the madness!
Permission to Be a Hot Holiday Mess
Here’s what I’m learning: It’s okay to have a December that looks more like a Pinterest fail than a Hallmark movie. It’s okay to have a house full of tinsel explosions and a brain buzzing with marketing metrics.
Because at the end of the day, the magic of the season isn’t in perfect gingerbread houses or flawless campaigns. It’s in the messy, chaotic, beautifully imperfect moments that make it all worthwhile.
So here’s to all the moms, marketers, and merry-makers out there trying to sleigh this season. Let’s raise a travel mug full of coffee to the hot holiday messes we all are. Cheers! 🎄
What does your December chaos look like?
Share your stories (and survival tips) in the comments below—because we could all use a laugh and a little holiday solidarity.
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