What emotions come up for you when you think of Christmas? I’m guessing beautiful cozy memories, traditions, family gatherings and lots of love. I’m also guessing packed schedules, to-do lists, and excessive spending could come up. Christmas doesn’t have to feel hectic and stressful. It can be peaceful and relaxed. I hope this inspires you to break away from the hustle and bustle and turn the hectic holiday season into a peaceful one.
How DO YOU WANT CHRISTMAS TO FEEL
I have been working on myself so much over the past couple of years and one thing that has really helped me is figuring out how I want to feel instead of only looking at the end goal, the item or whatever it is I’m working towards. Figuring out how you want to feel from the experience/outcome is such a big shift and helps you find a path to get there. How do you want Christmas to feel? Think about that. I bet it has nothing to do with the hectic energy many of us feel. I encourage you to sit down and figure out how you want Christmas to feel and make shifts to make that feeling your reality.
Protect Your Peace Over The Holiday Season
I never really understood what people were talking about when they said how busy and stressful Christmas was until I had kids. After starting a family I realized how crazy it can be, but I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be. You can say no to plans, cut back on gifts and make beautiful memories with your loved ones in a peaceful way. Will you disappoint some people? Maybe, but protecting your peace should be a priority over what other people think you should do.
How I Keep My Peace During The Holidays
- We look at our calendars ahead of time and plan out our weekends. This includes making sure we aren’t over-scheduling. We have so many Christmas traditions, so we like to spread them out so we aren’t rushing to fit them all in.
- Start shopping early and stick to a list. I have been known to overdo it at Christmas, but I’ve learnt that less is more. Kids don’t care how many gifts they get. I focus on what they really want and what I know they will use. They get one toy from us, PJS and an outfit. I give their grandparents one idea and we all stick to lists to keep things minimal. This makes for a much more relaxed Christmas morning and they actually enjoy their gifts.
- Make a list of Christmas baking and bake ahead. I talk to my mom and we usually decide what to bake together. We split it up. I usually start about 2 weeks beforehand and freeze what I can. I stick to 3 recipes, that way things don’t get wasted. I used to bake so much and I found it so wasteful.
- Wrap gifts as you buy. This is a new thing I’m trying this year. Each week I will wrap what I bought instead of leaving it all to do at once. That way I won’t have hours of wrapping the week before Christmas. More time for fun and relaxation!
- Keep alcohol to a minimum. Of course, this is a personal choice, but I gave up drinking this summer and since then I have had very little. I feel so much happier, focused, patient, productive and just so much healthier. I’m also a better Mom and wife. I’m so present and my nervous system is regulated. I plan to keep this up over the holidays so I can really enjoy it.
- Plan out Christmas dinner. My husband and I plan out the meal and I shop ahead for it. I get all my fresh stuff on December 23 and we prep ahead. We get as much ready as we can on the 23 and 24 so we can relax and enjoy the day with our kids. This is a GAME CHANGER!! I make a Strada for our Christmas breakfast on Christmas Eve and I pop it in the oven in the morning. It’s an easy tradition and we all love it.
These tips might seem out of reach if you aren’t a planner like me, but I promise you with a little planning your holidays can feel so much lighter.
Less Is More
I encourage you to scale back this Christmas. Slow down and enjoy the people around you instead of the things and hustle. Take some time to snuggle up and watch your favourite movies. Take a nice walk and reflect on your year and how far you’ve come. It’s the little things and moments in between the big ones that matter most. I wish you all a very peaceful Christmas.
xo Alayna
