taking it slow in december

it's that time of year

Hello friends! We are in the final month of the year and as the holiday song consistently tells us, "It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

Unfortunately, December can indeed be stressful and instead of enjoying this festive month, for some it can seem as if they are bare knuckling the next few weeks, only sighing with relief when the calendar page turns to January. Last December was hard for my family and I because we were all sick. One by one, we all fell like dominoes, catching whatever it was that was going round. We celebrated Christmas, but with lots of Kleenex and cough medicine.

I was very stressed-out last December which probably didn't help my immune system fight off what came round, so this December, I am taking it slow. Because the truth of the matter is, everything will get done, it always does. Feeling panicky about ALL THE THINGS, does me no good. It doesn't do anyone any good, actually.

Christmas is not a marathon or a sprint or a race or any other sporty verbiage.

Christmas just is.

🎄

I wanted to share some ways to take it slow this month.

Savoring my cup of coffee on Saturday mornings. Monday through Friday, the mornings are all about school drop-offs, getting my kids up and out the door, and Sunday mornings, we are up and out the door for church. But Saturday mornings, I intentionally and purposefully make them go a bit slower. Sure, the dishes need to go in the dishwasher and a load of laundry probably needs to be done, but Saturday mornings are the one day of the week where I don't inhale my coffee (if you know, you know). I sip and savor and know that the tasks on my to-do list will get done later in the day.

Baking yummy treats. I love, love, love to bake. Being in the kitchen with my apron on, baking a sweet treat is my happy place. I turn on my Christmas music and get out the ingredients and get to work. My favorite Christmas music to listen to is vintage, mostly from the 1940's or so. It's what I listened to as a kid, and you can't go wrong with anything by Ella Fitzgerald or Bing Crosby.

Make your yes and your no count. It is easy to get overwhelmed with the holiday season because it can feel like you have to do everything and that you must say yes to everything. But you don't have to do all the things and go to all the places. You can say no. Or, you can say yes, if that truly is your thing. My point is, if you are going to do something, make it count. Make it your best yes. If you really don't feel like doing a particular activity, please do not feel guilty in saying no.

Participate in advent. I know that there are many types of advent calendars out there to choose from, but I really liked the idea of this one with the little boxes. I made this one several years ago with items from the craft store. Each box holds a different bible verse that leads up to the birth of Jesus, and we read the verse each night before we go to bed. It is special and it is something my family looks forward to each December.

Allow for downtime. Allow for time to reset and recharge. Even if all you have is 20 minutes on a particular day, have a cup of tea and take some deep breaths. Stare out a window. Clear your mind for a bit. Or do a brain dump, put everything that is going through your mind onto paper, write it out and get it out of your head. Take some more deep breaths. Trust that everything will be okay because it will.

Watch a holiday movie. My family loves A Christmas Story, and we watch it every year.

Work on a puzzle. preferably one that takes quite a while to complete.

Drink hot chocolate.

Read that novel that you've been putting off.

Spend time with people that make you laugh. They say that laughter is the best medicine!

Lastly, I know phones can be tricky. I know for some people, it is easier said than done, to put your phone down. I get it. But if scrolling through social media is making you anxious or panicky that you should be doing all the things because so-and-so is doing all the things, then please take a deep breath and log out for a while. Know that you are doing just fine, and you don't need to compete because there is no competition.

There never was.

🎄

Hope this list helps you this month friends! If there are any tips that you would like to share that you do to slow down during the holidays, please let me know in the comments below.