Christmas is coming! Are you excited? Counting down the days? Or are you just a teensy, tiny bit overwhelmed and stressed?

It’s the “most wonderful time of the year,” right? For many of us, it can also feel like the most overwhelming time of the year. Especially as we ride out the second year of the pandemic and unknowns which are still present in our world due to COVID.

There is much to do—gifts to buy, presents to wrap, food to cook, a tree to decorate. There are events and party invitations. There are Christmas concerts, and sing-alongs at school. There are treats to bake, gingerbread houses to adorn, cards to address.

It’s no secret many of us put pressure on ourselves to create the “perfect holiday.” Our expectations are high. We want to create a memorable event for family and friends. It comes from a good place: we want to care for others and show them what they mean to us. It’s certainly not “wrong” to want Christmas to be special.

But all this pressure and hustle and bustle often leaves us feeling a little flat. Time seems to speed by at a lightning pace. It’s easy to feel disappointed when something doesn’t turn out according to our plan or to feel as though we need to micromanage everything so it will turn out perfectly. We are not perfect beings nor are we meant to be and our times call for more self compassion and patience on all levels

How to Get into the Christmas Spirit

What can we do to get our house, mind, and heart into the spirit of Christmas? How can we recapture the magic, wonder and happiness of the holiday season (and spread the cheer to our loved ones)? Let’s explore ways to make your season merry and bright this year!

Getting Our Homes into the Spirit of the Season

There’s no place like home, especially during the holidays. We all love making our home feel “Christmassy” and special. The big secret is, it doesn’t require as much effort as we might think. All you need is an organized approach and an action plan. 

Declutter Your Decorations

Start by decluttering your decorations. As you unpack your holiday ornaments and décor, look at the items that are truly special and meaningful to your family.

Do you collect an ornament each year when you travel? Do you have a special nativity scene or an heirloom nutcracker handed down from family generations? These special, meaningful items should become the focal point of your holiday décor. 

Go Simple

We’ve all seen the cute holiday displays at retail stores this time of year. It can be so tempting to buy a whole new “theme” to deck out your Christmas tree. Maybe you want to decorate an “owl tree” or a “retro tree” or a Star Wars themed tree.

While it’s fun to go all out (and yes, those theme trees look great), it also gets costly. Sometimes the simple ornaments you’ve had since your kids were infants or your spouse or partner gave you in your first apartment are so special. It’s really all you need.

Embrace the Little Things

Little lights, small touches here and there, decorations and tiny ornaments are sweet, meaningful and easy to put up and take down. Remember the Charlie Brown Christmas tree? Sometimes it’s not the biggest most over-the-top tree that matters. It’s the little love and extra touches you put into your home that make all the difference.

You don’t need to go all out. A few simple bows tied here and there, a sprig of evergreen, the scent of cinnamon sticks simmering on the stove and sugar cookies in the oven—these simple touches evoke our Christmas feelings much stronger than bells and whistles.

Read a Christmas story or watch a holiday movie in your "jammies" on the couch. Decorate gingerbread houses made of graham crackers or frost Christmas trees out of upside-down sugar cones. Play holiday music and watch as your house transforms into a warm, cozy, holiday haven.

Give Fewer Gifts

It sounds strange, right? Wouldn’t more gifts help us feel MORE of the Christmas spirit? Christmas is all about giving, so shouldn’t we go all out?

When we focus on giving “stuff” we miss out on the real meaning of the season. Yes, Christmas is about giving, but it’s also about connecting with our loved ones and showing them how much they mean to us. Christmas really isn’t about the gifts, it’s about the gift of time spent together.

To quote Dr. Seuss, “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

Focus instead on spending time with your family. How can you create memories that will warm you for months and years to come?

Clearing our Minds for Christmas

Once your home has started to evoke the Christmas feeling, it’s easier to get your mind into the right place to celebrate the season. Again, create an action plan, organize your to do list and break it down into manageable pieces. Don’t focus on doing it all, focus on doing what matters.

Read Holiday Stories

If you want to get your mind into Christmas-mode, read books and stories about the holiday season. 

 Listen to Christmas Music

When it comes to feeling the holiday spirit, nothing works for me quite as well as Christmas music! For many of us, classic songs—Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong get us in the Christmas mindset.

You’ll be surprised at how quickly singing Christmas carol’s gets you into Christmas-mode.

Remember To Be Thankful

Having a hard time feeling the Christmas vibe? Embrace an attitude of gratitude if you need a shift.

Thanksgiving is such a perfect precursor to the Christmas holiday. It gets us thinking about all the blessings we enjoy and reminds us of how much gratitude lifts and brightens our mood. 

Each night jot down three thankful thoughts. This might be something that happened during the day you’re grateful for, or an aspect of your life you appreciate. When we practice gratitude, we lift our whole mood.

Slow Down

If the Christmas mindset isn’t happening for you, take a step back and slow down. Go on a walk through the snow or admire the Christmas lights in your neighbourhood. Sip a cup of hot chocolate on your porch while you’re wrapped in a cozy blanket.

When we’re in a rush, packing every to-do list item in our schedule, time flies by…and yet, we often feel empty and wonder what happened. Being mindful and taking time for appreciation and relaxation helps us stay aware and present.

Creating a Heartwarming Holiday

There’s nowhere you feel the spirit of Christmas more than in your heart. When we visit a holiday service, tear up watching It’s a Wonderful Life (even for the 50^th time) or feel warm-fuzzies as you read a card from a far-off friend, Christmas is in our hearts. Want to keep the heartwarming Christmas spirit going?

Give To Others

‘Tis the season of giving. But it’s not about giving the big gifts and huge presents to our kids and family. Consider giving a gift to someone who’s truly in need.

Volunteer your time at a local soup kitchen or shelter. Take holiday treats to a senior citizens centre and spend an afternoon reading stories to residents. Drop off treats or small blankets at your local animal shelter. Give to the Red Cross, the Salvation Army or another charity.

Look for Secret Santa opportunities to adopt a family or give a gift to a child in need. Buy a cup of coffee for the person behind you at Tim Horton’s. Perform a random act of kindness by surprising a neighbour with a holiday goodie. Watch how much giving to others gives you!

Give Yourself Permission to Be Imperfect

You don’t need to be the perfect. You don’t need to decorate the perfect tree. You don’t even need to decorate a tree at all! Give yourself grace and permission to take a break from perfection.

Everyone is on their own journey. On social media we often display only our best, most curated photos. We put on a filter and show our best angle. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else this holiday season. You do you.

Practice Self-Care

If you start to feel burnt out, exhausted, deflated or stressed, take a break! Winter season is tough for many reasons—cold weather, shorter days, cold and flu season is upon us. It’s easy to run ourselves down.

Take time to care for yourself. Exercise, eat healthy, drink water, get plenty of rest. Minimize your stress. Know when you need to take a break and honour this.

We often feel we need to care for everyone else during the holidays, but we forget to give ourselves the same level of comfort and kindness. Be your own friend and keep your body nourished and healthy—your spirit will flourish as well!

Share Your Love

As you shift your heart into “holiday mode,” keep those feelings all year long simply by resolving to be a more loving, kind and open person.

Tell your loved ones what they mean to you. When you get together for the holidays, express your appreciation to your parents, siblings and family members. Write a heartfelt love letter to your loved ones and tell them how much you appreciate them. 

Christmas is about love and kindness. It’s the season of warmth, giving and caring for others. If you want to keep Christmas in your heart, it’s easy—all you need is love.

Focus on seeing others for who they are and empathize with their struggles. 

If we can take the lessons of the holiday season and apply them all year long, we’re guaranteed not just a Merry Christmas, but a very Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays 

Light and Blessings,

~~Amy

Cancer Care Counsellor