The holiday season is undoubtedly such a warm, cozy, and joyful time of year. That said, it goes without saying that the holidays can also be quite stressful. There’s so much to do in preparation, so much to shop for and wrap, and so much to try to balance. Not to mention that even going to the store to pick up your own essentials is chaotic with the massive last-minute crowd. It’s okay to admit that the holiday season feels chaotic. While also finding it lovely, magical, and cozy. All of these feelings can coexist during the holiday season. And honestly, we all need to be vigilant to practice self-care during the chaos of the holiday season.
Let’s not forget to bring the coziness and joy back into the season as we prep for the holidays. Certainly, we can get all of our preparations done in a calm and cozy manner. While also giving ourselves time to rest and simply enjoy the holiday season. After all, the holiday season is a time to relax and allow yourself a moment of self-care. Whilst also spreading joy and love to those you care about. Besides, you can’t pour from an empty vessel. So let’s be sure to fill our cup with hot cocoa as we navigate this cozy but chaotic season.
Make The Holiday Prep As Fun and Cozy As Possible
Let’s be honest, it’s the preparatory parts of the holiday season that are the most stressful. Or at least the more tiring. After all, there’s a lot of work that goes into decorating your home for the holidays. As well as preparing all of those divine holiday treats and meals. That’s not even to mention the work that goes into shopping for thoughtful gifts. And then wrapping those gifts. It’s rewarding, but it’s a lot of thoughtful and intentional work. That said, none of your holiday preparatory tasks need to feel like a straight-up chore. And honestly, it helps to find ways to romanticize the holiday prep and make it leisurely and cozy.
Yes, it’s 1000% possible, my lovely. Especially when you incorporate fun elements from the holiday season into your prep work. Or even make your own traditions out of it. Perhaps you can create a holiday playlist loaded with your favorite Christmas songs to listen to as you decorate. Or you can enjoy a holiday movie marathon as you’re wrapping gifts and sipping hot cocoa. You can even choose to wear a fun holiday outfit as you head out holiday shopping, or simply get cozy on the couch as you enjoy some holiday cookies as you shop online. Or you can turn the holiday baking into a group activity with your closest friends and family.
And don’t forget to reward yourself after each task is done for the day. Actually, put something fun and purely cozy and relaxing as the last thing on your daily holiday to-do list. That way, you can’t skip the joy.
Plan Out Your Holiday Season and Make To-Do Lists
With the holiday season being undeniably busy, it helps to have a visual and tangible way to organize the chaos. Which is why I highly recommend writing out everything to do with the holiday season in your planner and planning it all out. Honestly, I’d actually incorporate your holiday planning all throughout the month of December. That way, you avoid cramming everything into the last week before Christmas. And so you don’t forget to schedule in the fun activities all throughout the season.
Seriously, spread out those preparatory tasks so they’re not overwhelming, and dedicate a certain day to doing them. While also marking those fun events in your holiday planner as well, to be sure you’re also making the most of the holiday season. Write out your daily holiday to-do lists and check off each holiday task as you do it. Or put a gold star next to it. And don’t forget to schedule in some moments of self-care during the holiday season. While you’re at it, you can even write out your gift list and plan out what you’re going to get each person. That way, you have a visual aid to ensure everyone is covered. Before that 4:00 PM panic moment on Christmas Eve.
Whether you use digital planning tools or write it all on paper is entirely up to you. And feel free to get creative and make it look festive and aesthetically pleasing. Because honestly, that makes it even more fun to use.
Give Yourself Space and Don’t Overschedule
As wonderful and exciting as the holiday season and the festivities associated with it are, there’s no way to truly do it all. Not without overextending ourselves and putting unnecessarily high expectations on ourselves anyway. My lovely, even for the joyful things, your time and energy are not infinite. And honestly, the last thing that holiday leisure should become is obligatory. The holidays should be a time to rest, not drain yourself. So don’t be afraid to kindly turn down those invitations to the holiday parties you don’t genuinely want to attend. Don’t force yourself to go to every community event unless you have a genuine interest in it.
Allow yourself to stay home on some days and just sip hot cocoa and watch holiday movies. Give yourself a day off from decorating, baking, shopping, and wrapping to play cozy games in your holiday pajamas. You don’t have to pack every day in December with extravagant holiday activities and preparatory tasks. Heck, you don’t have to do anything holiday-related at all if you’re not feeling it on some days. You don’t have to force yourself into daily Christmas cheer at every waking moment, unless it’s genuinely sparking joy for you.
Ground Yourself and Give Yourself Some Grace When You Need To
Honestly, allowing yourself a meditative moment to just observe and be still is important all throughout the year. The same goes for allowing yourself to pause and take a step back when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Whether it be just for a few minutes to take a few deep breaths and/or practice the 5-4-3-2-1 method, or to step away and go for a walk or sit on the floor. Quick grounding methods are a wonderful lifeline for when you’re feeling stressed, and you can feel the tension building quickly. And honestly, they are an essential part of navigating the chaos of the holiday season. So don’t be afraid to give yourself a mindful moment whenever you need during the holiday season.
Give yourself a moment to sit by the Christmas tree and just watch the lights when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Touch the ornaments that have a lovely texture. Go for a walk outside if the weather conditions are safe. Play with the snow if there’s any on the ground. Wrap yourself up like a burrito with a festive blanket. Turn on some calming lo-fi Christmas music, or even some calming frequency music. Do what you need to do to safely release the tension and calm the stress. And don’t be afraid to call it a day if you really don’t have it in you to wrap another gift, decorate another area of your home, or go to another shop.
Give yourself some grace, my lovely. Sometimes, we have to step away from the holiday chaos and come back to it when we’re feeling a little more festive. Mindfully giving yourself breaks is a nonnegotiable part of holiday self-care.
Don’t Neglect Your Humanity — Stay On Top Of Your Personal Needs
While the holidays are certainly joyful and there’s so much to do during the holiday season, we have to remember that we’re still humans. And our human needs still need to be properly taken care of through the holiday season. Be it the objective needs that apply to everyone, such as sleep, hydration, nutrition, and movement. Or our own unique personal needs. Which, honestly, tend to be the first to get neglected in the holiday chaos. For example, as an introvert, I’ve found myself overlooking my own need for solitude as my social calendar fills up. I’ve even found myself cutting corners on my daily self-care routine as I try to hustle to prepare for the holiday season. Which is not commendable.
My lovely, you’re not doing yourself any favors by losing sleep for those late-night wrapping sessions. Or by skipping lunch as you’re decorating your home or doing your holiday shopping. You’re also doing yourself a major disservice by rushing through or skipping anything that fills your cup. Seriously, slowly sip your morning coffee and mindfully eat your breakfast. The shopping can wait another 30 minutes to an hour. And if you’re like me, you need to recharge your social battery with some solitude between gatherings. Don’t neglect your needs and burn yourself out for the holidays, my lovely. After all, this season is meant to be about peace and relaxation.
Seriously, don’t cut corners on your self-care through the holiday season. As a matter of fact? Zoom in a little extra on your wellness in December. Especially if you also deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder alongside holiday preparatory stress.
Have Fun and Find Joy In The Holiday Season
While the holidays can be very busy and a bit chaotic, they truly only come once a year, my lovely. So make the most of this magical time of year. Let yourself enjoy the process as you prep for the holidays, and make it feel joyful. And don’t forget to sit back and enjoy the hard work you’ve put into getting ready for the holidays. Allow yourself to enjoy all of your favorite holiday activities, and allow yourself some time to relax and find the joy in it all. Go for a scenic drive to admire the Christmas lights in your neighborhood as you blast Christmas music. Have a holiday self-care session with your favorite seasonal products.
Seriously, let yourself enjoy everything to do with this time of year. Spend a little extra time with your loved ones and play your favorite holiday games together. Then spend an afternoon recharging your social battery as you sip hot cocoa, eat holiday baked goods, and watch Christmas movies. Buy yourself a little something as you shop for your friends and family. Heck, have some fun wrapping your own gift to open on Christmas. Enjoy all the delicious food at the holiday party, without restriction, while keeping your belly happy. Find time for deep connection, laughter, fun, joy, and relaxation. Because happiness is what this season is all about, no matter what you celebrate.
Conclusion
The holidays are undoubtedly a chaotic and busy time of the year. And we all know that they can be quite stressful in some moments. Or at least, that can be a little bit tiring as we prepare for them. Sometimes, even the joyful moments can be mixed with a bit of chaos, and we may need a moment to recharge. Especially those of us who are introverts, with the holidays also being a time of a fuller social calendar. Heck, even extroverts may need a moment to ground themselves and unwind as they prepare for a wonderful holiday party for all of their friends and family. A lot goes into holiday party planning!
No matter what you celebrate, or how “all out” you go for the holidays, be sure to practice self-care all throughout the holiday season. Let yourself enjoy this lovely time of year, without pushing yourself beyond your capacity. Let yourself be human, and give yourself some grace through the season. Be kind to yourself, and allow yourself to have some fun. Rather than making it all prep work with no play. And don’t pressure yourself to do it all. You don’t have to go to every party or event. You don’t have to decorate every square foot of your home. Do what feels right for you, and don’t forget to rest.
How do you practice self-care through the holiday season? What is your favorite self-care ritual to practice when the holiday season gets a bit too chaotic? How do you find balance between the stressful and the joyful parts of the season? What is your favorite part of this season, be it chaotic or purely calming? I’d love to read your comments!
No Comments Yet
This post doesn't have any comments yet.