Survey reveals the high cost of creating a celebration: half of mums don't feel supported in organising a celebration

Christmas time is often associated with joy and wonder, but what is rarely talked about is the effort that goes into creating this feeling. A survey of 426 mothers shows that one in two mothers in Latvia feel emotionally and organisationally overwhelmed at this time. 55.3% of mothers say they receive only partial support during the festive season, while almost one in five say they feel no help at all. The results of this survey highlight the invisible mental strain that mothers face in trying to create the 'perfect' holiday for their families, often at the cost of their own wellbeing.

"It's time to recognise and acknowledge the invisible work that women do," says Elīna Kļaviņa, a PEP mum. "It's not just a to-do list. It's a constant work of planning, caring and organising - from the snowflake costume for the kindergarten production to the festive table setting, adapting to each guest's eating habits. And all this is often done with a sense of inferiority, as both others and the mums themselves expect much more from themselves. The survey shows that the warmth and sense of wonder that so many enjoy at the festive season is often the result of the invisible work of mothers. It is time to share the load more fairly," says Kļaviņa.

Although most mothers enjoy the festivities (48.4%), the main feelings are exhaustion (64.1%), stress (42.5%) and anxiety (33.8%). Mothers often feel trapped in a constant race for the perfect feast while worrying about expenses. Almost 40% of mothers admitted that they have major or very major concerns about whether they will have enough money for everything they need.

Mothers want more support during the holidays. In the survey, one in three mums said they would most like to lower their internal expectations of what Christmas and New Year celebrations should be like. 16.2% would like to share responsibilities more equally with a partner, while the other most frequently mentioned types of support were help with childcare (16.2%), financial support (13.6%) and fewer demands from others (8.2%).

PEP Mum Elīna Kļaviņa launches the social campaign "Miracles start with you" to draw attention to the unspoken feelings and thoughts of mums, and to talk about the mental workload and invisible work of women in organising festivities. "We often don't think about the inner dialogue and worries of mums behind seemingly perfect celebrations. It is important to hear and accept these feelings," says Kļaviņa.

During Advent, mothers are invited to share their feelings by sending anonymous voice messages to https://elinaklavina.lv/brinumi-sakas-ar-tevi/. "We will hear the thoughts that often go unspoken - about worrying whether everything will be done on time, about forgetting the pastilles for the child's concert or fearing that the elf might fall asleep and not put the daily surprise in the Christmas stocking. These stories can shed light on women's hitherto overlooked contribution and inspire families to organise their celebrations more equally and with fewer demands," Kļaviņa urges.

An online survey of 426 mothers was conducted to find out their emotional and organisational challenges during the celebrations.