The holiday season is meant to be a time of joy, connection, and celebration, but for many of us, it doesn’t always go as perfectly as planned. Between mounting deadlines, endless events, and countless names on our shopping lists, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and even burnt out.
But while it may feel impossible to fully escape the hustle and bustle of the holidays, there are a few ways to ensure you spend your precious downtime with intention. Around the dinner table tonight, enlist the help of your family and start a new tradition by creating a holiday bucket list!
Make merry, mindfully
Using the ideas below for inspiration, think of your family’s bucket list as a roadmap to a holiday season that’s as meaningful as it is chaotic, and lean into the merry-making magic of it all!
- Host a Holiday Movie Night
Write down the titles of everyone’s favourite holiday flicks and toss them into a hat. Have the youngest family member pick the winning movie! Serve up your popcorn with hot chocolate and marshmallows and consider letting the kids camp out in the living room overnight to make the evening extra memorable!
- Make Your Own Gifts
Did last year’s hostess and teacher gifts cost a small fortune? This year, try swapping out gift cards and knick-knacks for crafty consumables at a fraction of the cost. Hit up a dollar store for glass jars or decorative tins to fill with homemade cookies or a DIY granola mix, courtesy of your local bulk store. Feeling slightly more adventurous? Do a little research and expand your family’s skills by spending an afternoon making homemade soaps or candles together.
- Get Outside
Fading daylight and dropping temperatures are no excuse to hide away inside. Head to your nearest beach for a memorable family photoshoot, play a friendly game of pick-up hockey with the neighbours. Or bundle up and hit the pavement to find the best lights and decorations in your community with a warming cider in hand… bonus points if you leave behind a card and a poinsettia on the winner’s front porch!
- Participate in Acts of Kindness
Find different ways to give back this season by spending a couple of hours volunteering at your local foodbank, shopping for a toy drive, or secretly shoveling an elderly neighbour’s driveway. Even small acts like paying for the person behind you in the drive-thru line or sharing your pocket change with someone in need is guaranteed to make a difference, while filling you with the warm and fuzzies.
- Embrace Informal Gatherings
If you don’t have the space, money, or energy to host a formal get-together, seek out low-effort and low-cost activities in your community, then spread the word! Whether you take in the sounds of carolers at a small-town parade or attend a public skate in the heart of the city, extending an open invitation to loved ones from near and far can create a fun, relaxed and diverse gathering.
(Keep in mind that not everyone you invite will be interested or able to attend, but for some, just knowing that you thought of them could mean the world!)
Stay focused and flexible for a happy holiday season
As you make your way through the next few weeks, remember, whatever you choose to add to your family’s holiday bucket list is meant to make space for good old fashion fun, and quality time with the people you love.
If your big ideas seem great in theory, but feel more taxing in practice, resist the urge to do absolutely everything this time around. A little rest and relaxation can provide your family with all the comfort and joy they need, and give you back some valuable time to focus on what matters most.
Happy Holidays!
Want to read more holiday-related blog articles? Learn how you can ease holiday stress here.