How to Enjoy the Holidays with Your Family

I LOVE presents! Honestly, I do love getting them - who doesn't? But I truly love giving them even more! As the older kids have become adults, they haven't wanted to ask for gifts, and I just found out why. The answer might help you too. They don't want to over-ask, and just didn't know what kind of price point we were aiming for. They know we can't do things like buy them a new home or furniture, and they felt awkward, so we gave them our budget, and then they were happy to let us know what they could use. In this list I have things for every budget. Let me know what you'd add and I'll put it up on the website!

Top 10 Gifts for Moms with Chronic Illness

1. Babysitting - Moms with chronic health issues get exhausted easily, and it can really wear us out to be the moms we want to be. A short break can do wonders for bringing back our enthusiasm & giving us the recharging we need to keep up with the kids.
2. House cleaning - Let’s face it, after a day of running the kids around, going to doctors appointments, and some days - even just getting showered and dressed - we’re exhausted. But we don’t want to live in filth. Sure, we’re keeping the house clean, but being able to take a break and rest our bodies instead of scrubbing floors would really help us out. For me, deep cleaning my entire house at once would be like running a marathon, and let’s face it - neither of those thing are going to happen! I have someone deep clean once a month, and it’s one of the best gifts my husband gives me.
3. Gift card for restaurant that delivers - Some days, even thinking about making dinner is exhausting, but with the costs of medical bills and medications, it’s hard to justify spending extra money on food from a restaurant. You can also buy a card from a delivery service like Grub Hub or Uber Eats Then your recipient can pick the restaurant & have anything they have a craving for delivered
4. Comfortable blanket - I use several of these to keep warm, and keep comfortable. I can use them for supports behind my neck, or on my lap for my book or computer. Also, my hands and feet are always cold, even in summer, so they’re nice to have all year. My absolute favorites are throws from Costco. The best part? They’re not only the softest, most comfortable blankets out there, but they’re affordable! (And under $10 in-store)
5. Bedside hospital table - I LOVE my bedside table! It’s the kind you have at the hospital. It only has a bar up one side, and 2 rolling supports on the bottom that roll right under the bed or couch. I also have a night stand, but because I have so many things that I need, and getting up can be difficult, it’s great to have this extra table where I can reach it. The best part is that it rolls right over the bed, so I can eat at the table, work on my computer, or play games with the kids, even when I’m not feeling well enough to be up and about.
6. Soft pajamas. Comfort is so important when our bodies are already making us uncomfortable. The ultimate choice for this would be a lounge outfit that feels like pajamas, but looks like something we could wear during the day - because we definitely will!
7. Natural body care products. As noted above, we’ve got a lot of extra costs because of our health, and indulging on special body products isn’t on the top of the list. But that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t love to splurge on a fancy body lotion or bath scrub. The only thing to watch out for here is artificial scents and ingredients that might make us feel worse. Natural is definitely the way to go.
8. Socks. Soft, comfortable socks. They’re like hugs for our feet. Socks that aren’t too tight around the ankle are the best. Bonus if they’re cute, we’ll smile every time we put them on.
9. Pretty notebook/journal. Brain fog is real, and sometimes we forget things. Writing reminders on slips of paper is dangerous, because we either lose them or forget to look at them. Having a pretty notebook next to the bed would be a great way of reminding us to check it, and give us a place to put all those ideas that are keeping us up at night. You can find a Sick Mom's Guide Podcast notebook on Threadless.
10. Last, but definitely not least is time. Time with you! Chronic life can get lonely. Sometimes it’s hard for us to get out, and it can get lonely sometimes. Having someone come visit me, and just sit for a few hours so we can talk and catch up with a cup of tea can make my whole week better. Schedule a time to come and visit. It’s a gift we won’t forget.