It’s no secret that pretty much everything in your life changes when you have kids?and that includes Christmas. Here’s what Christmas was like before kids, and Christmas after kids.
1. Going to the mall

Before kids: Wander around, floating from store to store. Stay out of the ones with the holiday crowds so you don’t get driven crazy. No rush to buy?you were just getting ideas today.
After kids: Wrangle the kids into their Christmas outfits and stuff them into their car seats. Cringe at the mile-long lineup to see Santa but get in it anyway. Wait for 2.5 hours. Take turns with spouse walking the kids through the mall to let them burn off steam. Get to the front of the line and present the kids to Santa. Both kids balk and scream their heads off. Force the issue because you can’t have waited for 2.5 hours for nothing. The picture looks horrible but you still order the 5×7 for $19584059. 2. Christmas shopping

Before kids: You’ve scoped out the mall for ideas, but decide you have lots of time and put it off. On the December 23, you go out for three hours and get your whole shopping list completed. It’s crowded, but whatever.
After kids: Begin shopping in March when you see a toy on sale that will be perfect for your little one. By the time December rolls around, you realize they’ve outgrown it. Spend September to December picking up little things every time you’re out. Feel totally done, and then on December 23 you realize...