Who Really Makes the Holiday Magic—and Why We’re Not Supposed to Talk About It

A light, cheeky post about moms, Santa, and Christmas magic unexpectedly struck a nerve—and what followed revealed far more than a disagreement about holiday cheer.

In this rant-style episode, Christy unpacks why a tongue-in-cheek observation about invisible labour triggered such strong resistance, why women are often expected to be cheerful about their own exhaustion, and why naming that reality is so uncomfortable in the first place.

This isn’t about Santa. It isn’t about ruining Christmas.

It’s about what happens when women are seen.

We explore how invisible labour becomes expected labour, why emotional and mental load so often goes unnoticed, how cheerfulness becomes the cost of belonging, and why systems continue to run smoothly when women overfunction and undervalue themselves.

This episode brings nuance, compassion, clarity, and straight-up truth-telling to a conversation many women feel—but are subtly discouraged from naming out loud.

Contact Christy & Additional Resources:

www.coachchristyholt.com

Chapters

00:00 — Why Did a Santa Joke Make People So Uncomfortable?

A lighthearted post sparks outsized resistance—and reveals an unspoken rule about what women are allowed to say.

01:42 — Is This About Santa… or About Invisible Labour?

Why planning, anticipating, emotional management, and mental load are work—even when they’re framed as “magic.”

02:54 — Why Are Women Expected to Be Cheerful About Their Own Exhaustion?

How gratitude and positivity are often used to silence real human limits.

04:40 — Who Benefits When Women Undervalue Themselves?

Zooming out to examine systems that reward overfunctioning and self-sacrifice.

05:50 — Why Does Questioning the Pattern Feel Like Ruining the Magic?

Why awareness gets mislabeled as cynicism—and why clarity isn’t the enemy of joy.

06:52 — Why Do Women Police Other Women for Speaking Up?

How defending the norm can feel safer than questioning it—and why that pushback isn’t personal.

08:11 — Can We Love the Holidays and Still Question the System?

Holding joy and awareness at the same time without burning traditions to the ground.

09:32 — What Would the Magic Look Like If Women Valued Themselves Too?

Reimagining holidays that include rest, shared effort, visibility, and self-worth.

🎶 Music Credit:

“Big Adventure” by Paul Yudin | License Code: IFYBJMN4DCRTCSPO