December can be such a tough time for a mom! Between the shopping, cleaning, cooking, wrapping, decorating, entertaining (and who knows what else!), breaks are key to getting through the holiday season. This year, SCMOM offered members several opportunities to take some time out for fun!

The month began with a chance to unwind at Melting Pot, where we enjoyed various combinations of wine, cocktails, cheese, and chocolate. After thoroughly stuffing ourselves, we hit the shops! Holiday shopping without children in tow helped many of us make great progress on our lists, plus pick one another’s brains for ideas to fill some of the blanks in each of our lives.

Next up on the calendar was our family holiday picnic! Better than ever, this year the event included crafts for the kids, seasonal music, chicken wings, cookie decorating, and even miniature Christmas trees! Whenever children from infants up into the double-digits are in attendance, we are really able to appreciate the differences between us that are bridged by the tie we share as mothers of multiples.

SCMOM’s annual moms-only holiday party has long-featured a White Elephant gift exchange, but this year a new twist was added: all gifts needed to fit into a pair of socks! All sorts of patterns showed up, from retro Rugrats to sensational sunsets to glittery snowflakes. Items inside varied from nail polish to ornaments to gift cards, with a healthy emphasis on chocolates and mini bottles of liquor. The cookie exchange was almost as delightful as the conversation and camaraderie, and the evening will certainly be remembered as a fun pause in the hustle and bustle of the final days before Christmas.