Secrets to a Simple Holiday
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Judging by the number of posts I see on social media and the millions of results that come up when you search “simplify the holidays”, it seems that many of us struggle to embrace the slowness and rest that the holiday season can provide: time for reflection; time for worship; time for family; time for celebration.
And I get it.
As a working mom, this season I’m currently juggling the year-end projects at work, my kids’ Christmas parties and programs at school, church events, Christmas parties with friends, buying gifts, and traveling (not to mention that my son has a December birthday, so that means even more parties and gifts).
Can you relate?
It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, only to find ourselves overwhelmed and exhausted by Christmas day. So, today I wanted to share a few secrets to enjoying a simpler holiday this year.
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Secret # 1: A simple holiday requires definition.
Your simple holiday does not need to look like everyone else’s. During this time we are bombarded with beautiful photos of homes decorated for Christmas on Pinterest and Instagram. We watch families embark on every possible Christmas tradition, seemingly without stress, in our favorite Hallmark movies. But we shouldn’t rely on Pinterest, Instagram, Hallmark, or even our own families to tell us what a simple, joy-filled holiday season looks like for us. Instead, we need to define it for ourselves; for our own family.
Take some time to reflect on the following questions:
1. What activities do you truly enjoy doing?
2. What traditions do you value the most?
3. Which decorations can you not live without?
4. What do you want gift-giving to look like for your family?
5. Which holiday food do you actually want to make and/or eat?
Secret # 2: Spontaneity does not lead to simplicity.
Although planning can feel a bit overwhelming at first, or maybe you simply feel like you don’t have the time to plan, it’s vital in creating the simple holiday that you desire. Think about it… if you’re leaving everything up to last-minute decisions, you’re going to feel frazzled as requests to participate in, volunteer for, or attend events come pouring in over the next few weeks. Also, when we fail to make plans, we run the risk of never getting around to doing the things that are most important to us. I don’t want to wake up on January 2nd and realize that I didn’t do some of my most treasured Christmas activities with my kids simply because I wouldn’t make time to put in on my calendar.
What activities do you want to make sure are included in your simple holiday this year?
Maybe it’s driving around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. Maybe it’s building a gingerbread house together. Maybe it’s sipping hot chocolate by the fire and listening to Christmas carols.
Whatever they are, put them on your calendar so that you actually do them!
Now, when you’re thinking through these and scheduling them I have two points of advice: 1) Don’t put something on your calendar simply because you feel like you should do it. Remember, you get to define what your simple holiday looks like for yourself and your family. 2) It helps to coordinate this plan with your spouse or other family members. In the past, I’ve created a google calendar that we can share and put all the planned events on there so we can all be on the same page.
This secret not only applies to the activities that we participate in, but also to our gift-giving. I don’t know about you, but spontaneous shopping all month long can lead to overspending and result in disproportionate gifts come Christmas day. The best way to simplify gift-giving is to make a clear plan about who you’re going to give gifts to and your budget for each of those gifts. There is nothing simple or elegant about going into debt over Christmas gifts.
Secret # 3: Holiday traditions don’t have to be grand or complicated.
What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? While some of them may be time consuming, I’d be willing to bet that most of them are relatively simple. Sitting by the fire sipping mulled wine. Making white chocolate dipped pretzels with the kids. Driving through town looking at Christmas lights while singing carols. There is truly so much joy to be found in even the simplest traditions. Don’t feel pressured to create elaborate family traditions just so your kids will have memories to look back on; especially if it means that you end up stressed and overwhelmed. If you do this, you run the risk of your kids remembering how frazzled mom was during the holidays instead of the fond memories that you’re trying to create in the first place.
Simplify, simplify, simplify.
A few of my favorite traditions we do at our house are 1) sleeping under the tree on Christmas Eve and 2) eating birthday cake on Christmas day. There is nothing complicated about these traditions. They don’t take me a lot of time or effort – sometimes the birthday cake is even store-bought!
While these secrets may not be mind-blowing, I pray that they are helpful as we go full-steam ahead into the holiday season. The key to leading an elegantly balanced life, even during the holidays, is to intentionally create the life you want. If you are looking for a simpler, more restful holiday season and feel like you need permission to simplify things; consider it granted.
Do you have other ideas for how to simplify the holidays? Reach out to me on Instagram or Facebook and let me know. I love to hear from you!
Have a beautiful, joy-filled week friends!
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We spend a great deal of time at work. Like Annie Dillard once said, “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” I encourage you to look around your office and see what steps you can take to add simple luxuries to your workday because in the grand scheme of things, they will add up and lead to a luxurious life!