10 Christmas Reminders

For a simple, happy festive season

As we usher in December, for many of us, things are about to get a bit crazy.

Even those of us who are usually really mindful about living within our means and keeping our schedules manageable, can lose our heads a little at this time of year.

During the festive season we are bombarded from all directions with messaging about what Christmas should look like, and almost all of this messaging is centered around buying all of the stuff and doing all of the things.

It is only natural to want to spoil your loved ones and make the most of your celebrations together, but no part of the festive season is worth the expense of your financial wellbeing or your mental health.

You deserve a Christmas that is peaceful and full of joy, not exhausting and full of anxiety.

Here are some little reminders, to help keep things in perspective this year.

Aesthetic decorations are overrated. My favourite Christmas trees are the ones covered in mismatched ornaments, gathered over the years, and delightfully imperfect decorations made by clumsy little hands. No aesthetic display straight out of a department store window can ever compete with a collection of trinkets and treasures full of memories. If you have children, seeing their handicrafts decorating their home will mean so much more to them than any coordinated colour scheme ever could.

You don’t need matching Christmas pajamas. Look, I’m not going to lie, I am a really big fan of the matching family Christmas pajamas. But do they actually make our Christmas movie nights more enjoyable? Not really. (But good snacks do!)

Children will remember the experiences, over the gifts. If you were to ask my son about his favourite Christmas memories I’m not sure he would remember any particular gift he has received over the years, but I know for a fact he’d talk about making gingerbread with his dad, driving around our town looking for Christmas lights and the time he found a jingle bell he was certain had fallen off Santa’s sleigh.

You don’t need a new outfit to wear to your work Christmas party. No one will remember you wore that same red dress last year, I promise.

A Christmas lunch at a fancy restaurant is no more delicious than a homemade meal. The cost of living continues to soar but you can still buy a whole chicken and some veggies to make an amazing roast for a reasonable price. Here in Australia, it is very common to eat expensive seafood at Christmas time, but there is no shame in going back to basics. Sometimes the simplest meals can be the most delicious.

The number of presents under your tree is no reflection of you as a parent (or a human). You are doing your best and you are enough. Your loved ones are so lucky to have you.

You don’t need to do everything (and it is ok to say no). If you don’t have time to bake your Christmas cake from scratch this year, you can probably get a really nice one at your local bakery. You don’t need to attend four different family gatherings on Christmas day and spend the whole day shuffling kids in and out of the car - it is ok to set a boundary and politely decline an invite. Your children will not be traumatised if you forget to move the Elf on the Shelf one night (or even opt out of Elf on the Shelf completely). Please give yourself a break.

Christmas movies are just as delightful on little TVs in small houses as they are on in-home theatre screens in big houses. And they are extra magical if you drag a mattress, blanket and pillows into the living room to create a nest to watch them from!

Secondhand gifts are wonderful. Handmade gifts are priceless. If anyone in your life believes otherwise, then it might be time reassess their position on the naughty or nice list.

And lastly, but most importantly, there will be other Christmases. Some years, Christmas is hard. Whether it is due to grief, financial stress, relationship breakdowns, or any number of other worries, during the course of our lives we will all experience some hard festive seasons. It is ok if you don’t have it in you to do much celebrating this year. If you are struggling, please just be kind to yourself. Go gently, keep things as simple as possible, and remember there will be other, better years.

Wishing you all peace, love and joy as you navigate this magical (but sometimes terribly hard) time of year.

Katie xx