If you’re not yet feeling the holiday joy, try these tips to get you in the spirit. Once you’re there, your happy mood will be infectious!
If you’re dreading pulling out all the holiday decorations, try for a minimalist approach this year. What are the most meaningful pieces? Christmas tree? Stockings? Menorah? Only take out the items that you’ll miss if they weren’t there. Leaving all the extras packed away will make the task feel less overwhelming and will also shorten your clean up time in January. Once you’re surrounded by your favorite decorations, it will begin to feel more like the holidays.
Scent is a powerful memory maker, and smelling those warm holiday aromas will bring back memories from years past. Break out the diffuser and add some spicy essential oils, like nutmeg and ginger, to make your home smell like gingerbread cookies. Pine and spruce oils combined with grounding oils like cypress and cedarwood will elicit feelings of coziness and calm, reminders of cold morning walks in the forest or ski trips from years past.
Enjoy holiday season foods like peppermint hot chocolate, fresh-baked gingerbread, and Christmas cookies. Gather the kids for an afternoon of baking and cookie decorating, then share the extras with neighbors for a very merry holiday gift. You won’t be able to resist the holiday spirit after this activity!
Cuddle up on the couch with a warm blanket and pop on a holiday movie. The classics are always good, like White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street, but new ones will do the trick also. If your old favorites just aren’t working for you, try watching Love Actually, Elf, or Bad Santa. If you’re a parent, Bad Moms Christmas is a must-see. Sometimes it just takes a little laughter to lighten your mood for the holidays.
If gift-giving is causing stress, offer up some baked goods or the gift of an experience this year. You don’t have to break the bank to have a meaningful gift for your loved ones. Shorten your gift list by eliminating anyone you haven’t seen in the past year or by contacting your friends and asking them to join you for a cup of coffee instead of exchanging gifts. Your friends will probably thank you and you’ll both enjoy the time together.
Take a moment and think about what the holidays mean to you. Focus on celebrating these values and your holiday spirit will shine!