How to create time for yourself to actually enjoy the holidays
The holiday season is a time of magic and joy, a time when you celebrate family and love. But it can also be a hectic time. Between holiday parties, shopping for gifts, and decorating the apartment, you might be left with little time to actually kick back and enjoy the holiday sparkle. Here are a few ways you can carve out some calm in the midst of the holiday crazy.
- Schedule some you time. Since you’re scheduling time for everyone else, why not set aside a chunk of time just for you? Start by considering the best way for you to unwind. Maybe it’s by curling up with a cup of coffee and a good book at home or at your favorite cafe. Perhaps it’s bundling up and walking around downtown, drinking in the beautiful holiday displays in the windows and lights on the buildings. Or maybe it’s attending a yoga class and sweating out all the stress of the past few days. Whatever helps you to decompress, make sure to set aside some time to do it this holiday season.
- Cut back on gift-giving (and shopping). Some show their love by giving lavish gifts, or simply by giving a lot of gifts. Remember, though, this isn’t really what the holiday season is all about. And shopping around for the perfect present could be eating up a lot of time that might be better spent actually enjoying the holiday season. So this year, consider cutting back on the number of gifts you get, or opt to shop entirely online and knock it all out at once. You might also skip gifts altogether and instead do something like host a holiday party for everyone you love, and let the food, drink, and company be the holiday gifts this year.
- Learn to say no. Chances are you’ll receive many invites to holiday soirees. Some are obviously going to make the cut, like family bashes and parties with close friends. But don’t feel obligated to say yes to each and every holiday party. The office party isn’t necessarily a worthwhile way to spend a Friday night when your time is at a premium, and the annual party thrown by an acquaintance could probably get crossed off the list this year. Prioritize and get comfortable with saying no when you just need a break.
- Take the holidays back to basics. Think back to the last time you really enjoyed the holidays—like, truly looked forward to holiday season, from start to finish. Now envision the things you did back then when the holidays rolled around, like baking cookies, trimming the tree, and going ice skating. There’s a reason you enjoyed the season so much as a kid—because holiday activities were solely about having fun and spending time with loved ones. Consider putting aside some time this year to revive old holiday traditions. You can do them alone, incorporating cookie-baking as some of your “me time,” or bring the whole family along for a round of ice skating.
Presence, Not Presents: 10 Ways to Actually Enjoy the Holidays This Year [Thought Catalog]
How to Actually Enjoy the Holidays [Little House Living]
How to Actually Enjoy the Holidays [Apartment Therapy]