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Holiday Recap: How We Keep Sane and Zen-Organized
While every holiday season is an absolute reason to celebrate, it doesn’t come without some stress. It’s a very busy time with work, family obligations, travel and keeping one’s awareness in check with what’s going on in the news. Not to mention it feeling like crunch time because it’s the end of the year and you just want to get everything done.
You want to spend time with family and friends, but you don’t want to lose your sanity and forget what the season is all about either.
In Simply Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter, author Elaine St. James would have said to bow out of the holidays, which could be the ultimate solution for some. But, as someone who has grown up with the Christmas tradition, it’s not something I want to declutter from my life altogether.
If Christmas or New Year’s was an object I could hold in my hand, like a book or a cup, I would absolutely say they “spark joy” in Marie Kondo-style. Organization consultant Kondo in the The Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing says that in deciding what to get rid of, hold the object in question and ask yourself if it “sparks joy” and keep only those things that spark joy.
I love the spirit of the holiday season and those times when we’re able to enjoy it relatively drama-free. This post lists out what worked for our family, what we found challenging and what we’ll probably do in the future.
What worked:
1. Christmas shop year-round.
Last year, we did our Christmas shopping in one shot towards the end of the year. While things were purchased on sale, I would have liked to have made more deliberate, intentional purchases throughout the year as opposed to all at once. This time around we didn’t go crazy on the consumer debt which is great. We did shop year round for about 65% of the stuff and just rounded out with lunches here, gift cards there, but not going overboard with the Black Friday sales or anything like that.
2. Choose one tradition, let go of another.
If we said “yes” to one thing we said “no” to other things. For instance, last year we chose not send Christmas cards like we normally did. While it felt like a relief to let go of the task, I also really missed it. In this digital age, most of our pictures are posted on Facebook or saved to my computer’s hard drive. We hardly do hard copy family photographs anymore. I do however want to keep at least one nice hard copy photograph, or the best photos of the year round-up style. So this year, we kept the Christmas card tradition. However, we did opt out of outdoor Christmas decorating. (Whereas in the past we might have done both tasks and stressed ourselves out.)
What was challenging:
1. Deciding on gifts.
With all the choices, it’s hard to decide on gifts for family and loved ones, as well as those you interact with daily such as colleagues, delivery service workers, child care givers, etc. A google search on the best gifts will suck you into the vortex of Pinterest pages, Amazon Wish Lists, etc. With competing priorities it can be a challenge to show appreciation year-round, so sometimes the holidays really is the best time. For me it was deciding on how to appreciate – whether with time, such as treating one out to lunch or making it easier for them to spend some time with their friends and family through restaurant gift cards.
2. Navigating travel and logistics.
During such a busy time, it’s always a smart idea to check on travel conditions, the weather and also what’s going on in the areas you plan to visit. Since we were driving, we relied upon Google Traffic as we anticipated some of the backups from heavy traffic and potential accidents. We chose the hours less likely to be crowded and planned accordingly. One thing we did not anticipate was how warm it would get. This is usually the season for sweaters and overcoats. This year, I had to wear short sleeve shirts and take let go of the scarf. So next time, I’d probably prepare based on anticipated weather conditions.
What to do next year :
1. Christmas card process
What I love about receiving Christmas cards is getting ideas from correspondence, like “Did they hand write or use labels?” and “How cute, I’ll find a similar design, different color next year.” Every year I tell myself I’ll keep holiday card recipients on excel spreadsheet and do the mail merge onto envelopes or address labels.
I like the idea of having a file of the best photos for the year, so then all I have to do is choose a card design from print services like Vistaprint or Shutterfly and order it. As a child, I always though family pictures were really cheesy, but now I can appreciate remembering these moments. It’s great to keep updated the traditional way other than Facebook and also keep in contact with those who don’t like using social media. Watching how kids and pets have grown through the years always amazes me – how people have changed and how time flies.
Gift giving
Have a budget in mind or a value of presents according to recipient’s interests and tastes. Experiences are always nice, keep an eye out for Groupon sales on tickets, Broadways, restaurant openings, outdoor experiences, etc.
If you have nice photos that the recipient might appreciate, such as recent pictures of your kids for the grandparents and need a quick gift, have a stack of beautiful frames so you can send framed pictures. Sure the frames may add as “clutter” but make sure they’re “spark joy” quality for the receiver.
Continue shopping local, consignment, sales, or anything that may resonate with people and keep a curated stock pile at the ready. Also look for “neutral” presents that appeal to all tastes, like simple plates, dishes that may be useful – not just for the holidays though but special occasions, birthdays, etc.
So that was what worked and what was challenging this year, as well as intentions for next year.
What works for you during the holidays? What processes would you change to keep things stress-free?
