A simpler Christmas

How’s your Christmas prep going?

Stressful? Overwhelming? Not the most wonderful time of the year at all? Two Christmases ago M said something beautiful to me when we spoke about Christmas expectations one evening. He said that it is important to give time to feel and not just do. I would like to add that when you are starting to feel, remember that it is okay to feel both happy and sad. Because we can’t grow if we don’t feel all the feelings.

I used to have a long to-do list to tick off before Christmas. I think it was because I wanted to go over and beyond to create ”the best Christmas ever”. Which strangely often included a lot of consuming but also many Christmas parties to go to and don’t forget about the decorating! Puuh.

It’s okay to say no to all those things and focus on what brings meaning to you.

Simplifying Christmas can feel like an overwhelming task and it requires a lot of trial and error. To be honest with you I haven’t figured out what I want Christmas to be like. I've found that the best thing I can do for myself is to take control over the days leading up to Christmas, focusing on what brings me joy. The days usually include the odd cozy Christmas market, evenings in with glögg, and if snow has fallen, one or two snow angles. However, if Christmas still feels daunting, remember that the Christmas holidays are just days.

A few journal prompts that helped me figure out what I wanted my Christmas season to be like were:

• What did you love about Christmas as a child?

• What did you not love about Christmas as a child?

• What kind of Christmas do you want and need this year?