Man. I’m tired. What a year. Doesn’t every conversation start that way? I think we all need a good Christmas break. Now that we’re in the final two week countdown before Christmas, I see lot’s of posts and “inspo” floating around about how to slow down and embrace this season before it’s over in a flash.
Ironically, everything I’ve read suggests a list of 7-10 MORE things we can do to slow down and simplify! Dried oranges and Scandinavian crafts on top of all the other mayhem does not make one feel more at peace. I’ll be the first to tell ya.
Sure, activities like a family board game, driving around to look at Christmas lights and staring at the crackling fire with a cup of warm tea sound like lovely ways to savor this season but the last thing slow living needs to be is another thing on your long list of things to do.
What is Slow Living?
To me, slow living is stepping back from the whirlwind of life and taking things a bit more, well, slowly. It’s not another thing to do, it’s the opposite of that, it’s taking space to stop doing.
I’ll admit, slowing down at Christmas, not getting it all done and instead just cuddling with your kids and staring at the tree feels like swimming upstream in our current culture. Putting your phone away for the day will not feel like an easy thing to do. But if something inside you is begging for rest, get brave, and cross some things off your to do list.
I need this reminder more than anyone; Rest is productive too. It’s ok just to take this season to really let yourself rest and heal from this year.
So, more importantly than what I’m doing is what I’m NOT doing this Christmas to embrace slower living at the end of this crazy year.
A few things I’m not doing this year:
- Making a traditional Christmas dinner. I’m making two pans of lasagna this week and keeping them in the fridge for Christmas night that way I can just relax and enjoy the day.
- Hosting Christmas Eve.
- Making Christmas Eve dinner. Kyle is making breakfast for dinner for a second year in a row and I’m here for it.
- Wearing anything but my pajamas on Christmas Day.
- Buying or dressing the kids in fancy Christmas outfits. I bought them each a fun and cozy sweater and that’s it.
- Buying clutter. For me, for the kids, or Kyle.
- Getting my hair done. No extra appointments or commitments.
- Drying out oranges and cranberries for homemade garlands.
- Creating/crafting/making homemade gifts.
- Spending more than 10 minutes a day on social media.
- Rushing Christmas morning.
Mostly I just plan to be hanging around home. I don’t really plan on scheduling much for us to do. I plan on playing Christmas music and just sitting on the ground playing with the kids, walking around our neighborhood to look at lights after dinner, quiet time every morning just listening to God, sitting under the tree lights reading stories to Mallory, listening to audiobooks with Mal, baking cookies and sharing them with our neighbors and friends, going on a hike, watching a Christmas movie or two, making a big breakfasts, hot chocolate, having a few friends over to hang out, playing Johnny Mathis and opening presents as slowly as possible so I can soak up every bit of the good in this season.
“A weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
Merry last two weeks ’till Christmas.
I loved this so much!! I try to have a slower paced life, but this reminds that I’m still doing too much haha ❤️