Childless Holidays 2020: Embracing the FUN and the Wobbles…

by Brandi Lytle
Photo of a lighted tree and a dark tree in a snow-covered forest on "Childless Holidays 2020: Embracing the FUN and the Wobbles..." on Not So Mommy..., a childless blog

Near the beginning of November, I said that I wanted us to have a FUN holiday season!  FUN, meaning a Fabulously Unique Not So Mommy… Holiday!  So, I have spent the last six weeks trying to help our community find the FUN.  Today, I want to share all the blogs published during the Childless Holidays 2020 Series.  But I also want to talk about the reality that the holidays aren’t always fun, the fact that wobbles do happen…  And because of that, I want to share some additional resources to help navigate what can be a very emotional (and potentially triggering) time of year.

Let’s start with the round-up, the FUN…

Childless Holidays 2020: The Round-Up…

Childless Holidays during the Pandemic of 2020…

On 2 November, I wrote the first post in this year’s series, “Childless Holidays during the Pandemic of 2020…”  In this blog, I linked to past series, plus talked about discovering the truth that Christmas is for everyoneYou can read the full blog here.

On Childless Holidays: Let’s Have a FUN Holiday Season!!!

The following week, I continued the Childless Holidays 2020 Series with “On Childless Holidays: Let’s Have a FUN Holiday Season!!!”  This post gave five important truths about the holidays, plus outlined what I planned to write about during November and December.  Read the full blog here.

The BEST Gift for Dog Moms!

On 16 November, I told you about what I believe is the BEST gift for Dog Moms!  Read all about that, as well as my full Dog Mom Review, by clicking here.

SK Reid’s “Finding Joy Despite…” Story

On 23 November, I was honored to share SK Reid’s “Finding Joy Despite…” Story.  I felt her story was the perfect one to share as the holiday season got into full swing.  Because SK Reid…  Well, she is a true survivor…  Read SK’s story here.

Special Offers and Giveaways Exclusively for Not So Mommy… Fabulous Ones!

On 30 November, the blog post was all about Special Offers and Giveaways Exclusively for Not So Mommy… Fabulous Ones!  Though the giveaways ended last Friday, 18 December, the special offers are still going on!  Learn more about them by clicking here!

Beyond the Blog: The Not So Mommy… Shop

On 7 December, I published another in the Beyond the Blog Series, this one focusing on the all-new, completely updated Not So Mommy… Shop!  With sections for Health & Wellness, as well as Fur Babies & Fur Mamas, I am super excited to offer 64 products for purchase!  To learn more about The Not So Mommy… Shop, just click here!

Redefining Home, Redefining Christmas

Last week, I published a post entitled “Redefining Home, Redefining Christmas.”  It talks about Christmases past and present, as well as how I am continuing to make the holidays my own.  Read more by clicking here.

The Round-Up…

And that brings us to this week…  And this round-up.

I don’t feel a simple round-up fully encompasses what Childless Holidays 2020 has truly been like, however.  Because of that, I want us to chat a bit more…

Childless Holidays 2020: FUN and Not So FUN…

FUN…

You know, I truly love the holidays.  And I especially love bringing in the Christmas Season with a fabulous Thanksgiving celebration.  So, my holidays this year have looked like this…

Fun.Photo Collage of Thanksgiving 2020, as celebrated by Brandi Lytle, founder of Not So Mommy..., and her non-traditional family

Smiles.

Food.

Fur baby.

Pumpkins.

Turkey.

Trees.

And pie!

Not So FUN…

But they’ve also looked like this…

Founder of Not So Mommy..., Brandi Lytle, during a wobbleAn unexpected “p” announcement on social media caused a wobble.  Not a “so happy for them, but so sad for me” wobble.  A “I don’t feel any happy at all” wobble.  A “there is still an ache that I was never able…” wobble.

And you know when this wobble happened?  Right smack in the middle of me sharing the best gift for dog moms and Thanksgiving.

You know what else happened as the holiday season progressed?  I began to get more and more anxious about Christmas Day.  More and more anxious that Maddie would have an accident in somebody’s house.  More and more anxious that I’d feel uncomfortable and out of place at family gatherings.  I was becoming so anxious that it was getting a bit difficult to find any FUN…

I share all of this, fabulous ones, to reassure you that a wobble, sadness, nerves, stress, anxiety…  Well, you can have all that and have a FUN holiday season, too.

How do I know that?

Because I have had a wobble, sadness, nerves, stress, anxiety and have still had some FUN this December!  (Actually, I had quite a bit of fun teaming up with Pup Wax, Big Barker, & Treebok Pets to giveaway some awesome prizes to fabulous ones!)

Additional Resources to help navigate the not so fun…

If you’re struggling to find the FUN…  If the sadness and nerves and stress and anxiety have overtaken, please don’t be too hard on yourself.  Grief is a very complex journey.  And just because this season may not be your season of FUN doesn’t mean it will always be this way…

Check out these resources to help as you navigate the not so fun wobbles…

Next week, I will share another round-up.  It will link to Finding Joy Despite… and CNBC Stories that fellow survivors and warriors shared throughout 2020.  I think it will be the perfect way to wrap up this challenging year—focusing on how fabulous ones have overcome, how they are Creating a New plan Bravely & Courageously…

If anything I wrote resonates with you, fabulous one, please tell us about it in the comments.  (You can simply use an initial rather than your name, if you wish to remain anonymous.)
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Featured Photo:  Created by me, using Canva

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2 comments

Ava December 28, 2020 - 5:06 pm

Thank you for posting the link to the Faith and Childlessness webinar in this blog post. It was very helpful for me to watch it during this Christmas season.

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Brandi Lytle December 29, 2020 - 12:14 pm

I’m so grateful that it resonated with you, Ava. I do hope you had a lovely Christmas and that 2021 is filled with joy…

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