Staying grounded during the holidays is difficult, especially when all we see around us are advertisements yelling at us that we don’t have enough and that to be good enough we need to buy more and more.
We have entered the time of year when the focus should be on love, giving, and family. Instead, this season seems to focus on not having enough, buying more, and comparing ourselves with others.
Because this should be a time for love and reflection, I’ve come up with some ideas you can take into your own life. These ideas are meant to ground you to what’s important when materialism constantly surrounds us.
Let us know what else you do to stay grounded during the holidays. You might have something in your experience that can benefit others, so please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Start a gift exchange
The holidays are bombarded with the expectation to buy, buy, buy. We are typically expected to buy a gift (or two) for each of our friends, and that adds up quickly. It is exhausting to think of meaningful gifts for each of these people, and it’s much easier to give into buying something of low quality. If finances are tight, the pressures can feel overwhelming.
With a gift exchange, the focus is on the act of giving rather than the gift. Because you have only one person to focus on, you can put time into a meaningful gift they will actually love.
In the creation process, the focus is on the quality and meaning of the gift rather than the quantity. As well, if you are on a tight budget, the overwhelming pressure to purchase expensive but meaningless gifts is gone because a cheap, homemade gift can be the best kind of gift.
Share experiences
When I think back on the holidays of my childhood, I rarely remember the gifts I received. More than anything, I remember driving around decorated neighborhoods to see the Christmas lights, baking cookies (and eating them of course), creating gingerbread houses, and building igloos.
I remember the experiences, not the gifts.
This holiday season, spend energy on sharing experiences with your loved ones rather than shopping. Try making a bucket list for the month or adding a fun, holiday activity to your calendar every week.
Check out my blog post, 31 ideas for your holiday bucket list, to get some ideas on what kind of experiences you want to have this Christmas.
Serve others
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
Nothing keeps a person grounded more than forgetting themselves in the service of others. At a time when love abounds, some people in our circles don’t have a loving family to turn to. Others may be stuck in a city far away from their family. If you look close enough, you can always find someone in need of a little extra love.
Who do you know that you can serve this holiday season? Who needs a little more love than they are receiving?
Growing up, I participated in a church seminary program. The teenagers in my church gathered every day to study the scriptures before school. Each December, we decided on a few families in our church who needed a little extra help financially.
I remember going to the local Walmart early one morning with my friends to pick out toys and clothes for these families. Everyone spent time thinking about which gifts would help the family the most like clothes or food, along with gifts that would bring joy to the kids like toys.
This was one of the most meaningful memories of the holidays because I focused completely on another’s happiness. I had forgotten my own selfish wants. I finally believed that I had the power to change someone’s life.
How can you serve someone this month?
Remember gratitude
On the subject of forgetting our own selfish wants, spend time this season remembering your blessings. Something as simple as stepping back each day to think of what you are grateful for goes a long way. I love writing in my journal, and I find that adding a space to record three things I’m grateful for helps ground me.
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
-Albert Einstein
Rediscover what’s important
It’s easy to forget what is important when advertisers bombard us with “BUY! BUY! BUY!” Take a step back and think of what truly makes you happy. Is it your family? Maybe a favorite hobby or being creative really does it for you. Does serving others bring you joy? Your career may push you to become better each day which is important to you.
Whatever makes you happy, remember that this month. Make a note on your phone or a sticky note. Look back at it whenever you feel overwhelmed by the materialism of the holidays.
This holiday season, focus on what is important to you. I hope these ideas will jumpstart your perfect holiday season.
What do you do to stay grounded during the holidays? Let me know in the comments below. You never know when your ideas may bless someone else during this time.
