The holidays always feel like they sneak up faster than you expect. One minute it's early for the holidays, and the next you are knee-deep in lists of gifts, wrapping paper, and school concerts. It's a very joyful time, but it can also feel like a little bit of a race that you didn't actually want to sign up for. Every parent wants to create a special holiday for their family, but the pressure to make it perfect can take away from what really matters, and that is spending time together. The trick isn't to do more during the holidays; it's to learn how to slow down and simplify.