How to Ensure a Simpler Christmas

Talk of simplifying the holidays seems to become a more and more popular topic each year, as this time of year brings extra stress. The holidays are meant to be a joyful celebration. Yet, they can easily become exhausting amidst the frenzied preparations.

If we are not mindful, the holidays take a toll on us financially, physically, mentally and emotionally, leaving us feeling drained rather than joyous. Let’s be honest, most of us have at some point resorted to snapping at people as we are intently focused on achieving some type of preconceived Christmas perfection.

What we need is more of what matters, not more stuff, more preparations, or more effort at perfection. We need more sharing, more laughter, and more love.

So how do we achieve this?  It starts with letting go. Letting go of getting caught up in shopping, planning, cooking and cleaning to the point that our hearts miss the whole reason behind what we are doing and we never slow down. Implement these simple tips so that you can truly enjoy your Christmas season.

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1. Visualize

Simplifying Christmas looks different for each person. To successfully simplify your Christmas, taking some time to visualize what your perfect simpler Christmas looks like. Who are you with, what are your doing, where are you doing it, and when are these activities taking place? What is it that makes this perfect?

Now make a list of the holiday activities and tasks you did last year. Which of these things did you enjoy most? Which did you enjoy the least?

Do more of what you enjoyed and less of those things that felt like obligations. Are there things that you wanted to do, but were not able to? Write out a list of the things you enjoyed or wanted to do that match up with your vision of your perfect Christmas. Start with the simplest things first and start planning.

2. Plan

Get out your calendar and start scheduling in the activities you want to focus on. Write down and schedule people to see, events you will be attending and school activities you don’t want to forget. What are the things you would really like to do? Put them down on your calendar.

By taking a few moments to write everything down, you will easily be able to see whether you are over-committing. The season really does go quickly, having everything written down will help you ensure that you do not get overwhelmed and that you have time to enjoy the things that you really want to enjoy.

A word of caution, the most important part of planning a simpler Christmas is to make sure to include your family’s input in your planning. Make sure you talk with them as you are doing your planning.

Another important part of planning a simpler Christmas is to make sure you schedule downtime. Eliminate those things that do not fit in with your vision so that you can make sure you have room on your calendar for downtime.

3. Expectations

So often our unmet expectations cause extra stress during the holiday season. To truly simplify your Christmas, give up expectations and perfectionism.

By letting go of our expectations, even if it is a tradition, we create an atmosphere of fun and joy. Simplicity requires we let go of those things that do not fit within our vision.

The bottom line is that if it causes stress, it is not worth pursuing. It’s ironic, we are afraid of letting someone down or of being the spoiler, so we take on more than we should. However, in the end, the less stress we put on ourselves the more everyone appreciates the things that do get done.

Think about it, what is the worst thing that will happen if you don’t have 20 different types of cookies. Will Christmas be ruined if the gifts are fewer or less extravagant? We make the holidays overly complicated and stressful because of our own expectations.

I know that I have been guilty of this. In holidays past, I’ve unintentionally tried to make everything perfect, over baking, insisting the house is perfectly clean and decorated.  I have run myself ragged to meet unimportant expectations that only ended up stressing out my family because I was stressed out.

Through God’s grace, I learned that I can choose to drop, change, or simplify a tradition. I learned to give up those things that were just hard even though I had done them my entire life. Once I learned to let go, and focus on a few traditions rather than trying to do it all, everyone was more relaxed and enjoyed the season in its true meaning.

Ask your family what traditions are most important to them, then look at what you can let go of. Politely say no to anything that interferes with what you have envisioned.

4. Entertaining

Holiday entertaining can be a major stressor. Simplified entertaining again starts with giving up perfection. Meals can become a huge task. But, just because you are hosting doesn’t mean you have to spend an insane amount of time preparing everything on your own.

Every year our Sunday school leader hosts a Christmas party consisting of a baked potato bar. They supply the baked potatoes and everyone else brings some type of topping, salad, or dessert. It is perfect and makes it very easy on the host. Instead of being busy the whole night in the kitchen, they are able to enjoy the celebration with their guests.

You can also have people over for coffee and dessert. It doesn’t have to be a whole meal. Why not host a cookie swap, this cuts down on what you need to bake and all the ingredients you need to purchase, but still, gives you a variety of baked goodies. Win, win.

Here are some really helpful tips for post-holiday clean-up when you’re hosting a get-together.

You can also simplify the events you attend over the Christmas season. Let’s face it, there is never a shortage of events to attend this time of year and this, of course, is what leads to our over-committed schedules.

While it can be hard to determine which events to attend and which ones to skip, if you want to simplify your holidays you need to ask yourself some simple questions:

• Why am I Attending this event?
• Will attending this event interfere with my vision for the ideal Christmas?
• What will I need to sacrifice to attend this event?
• Is this event important to other members of my family?

If you don’t have a good reason for attending the event, it does not fit within your vision or is not important to others in your family, don’t do it, and don’t let yourself feel guilty for those choices.

5. Shopping

Unfortunately, for many shopping has become the major focus of the Christmas season. Without even thinking about it we rush around and spend too much time and too much money searching for the “perfect” gift?

To simplify gift giving, decide ahead of time, the number of gifts you will buy each person and set a budget for the total amount you will spend.

Even after setting gift-giving guidelines, shopping can still be incredibly stressful.  Stores and parking lots are overcrowded, with people that are less than kind or patient.

Shopping online is a great option, to simplify your gift-giving. Also, the added benefit of shopping online is that you are far more likely to stick to your list.

In the last few years, I have purchased many gifts through Amazon. With Amazon Prime, you get free two-day shipping. I am able to completely avoid the insanity of the stores and save so much time.

You can even get a free trial of Amazon Prime. Besides your prime membership gives your free movies and music to enjoy with all the extra time you save.

Another trick to simplify your Christmas is to keep a small stash of gifts on hand for when you need a last-minute gift or just don’t have the time.  These last-minute gifts will work for anyone on your list!

Related: 10 Insanely Popular Christmas Gifts for the College Student

Related: Minimalist Christmas Gift Ideas

6. Declutter

For most of us, the Christmas season means making room in our homes for a tree, lights, and at least a few (for some many) special decorations. By scheduling some time to clean up and declutter before the decorations come out you will make decorating so much simpler.

When you start your decorating, remember that less is more. By putting up less decor, you will simplify your Christmas season, not just in the actual decorating, but in caring and cleaning your home throughout the season.

7. Remember the Real Reason for the Season

For me, Christmas celebrations are not about Santa Claus and gifts, twinkling lights, and decorations. Christmas is about the birth of Christ. Without Jesus being born there would be no Christmas. Reflecting on this truth, rejoicing in what Jesus did for me is the most important part of my Christmas celebration and puts everything else into the proper perspective.

This is how I simplify my Christmas season. I hope that some of these ideas will help you to slow down and enjoy a simplified Christmas season!  I would love to hear any tips you have for a simpler Christmas, leave a comment below.