71 Tips for a Simpler Festive Season (plan for Christmas to be MUCH easier in 2024!)
Give yourself the gift of a simpler Christmas with this festive minimalism guide for less exhaustion, mess and stress during the holidays.
If Christmas fills up your stocking, going above and beyond lights you up, and being up to your elbows in stuffing makes your bells jingle, you can skip this post. Go yonder to do all of the jolly things - enjoy my lovely!
This is for the 88% of us that feel stressed, frazzled, overbooked, overlooked and poor during the holidays.
It’s time for us to reevaluate how we approach the festive season, for a simpler Christmas.
When the world is telling you to be GLAM, bake, decorate, CRAFT, shop, plan, prep, stuff, wrap, accommodate, host, cook, spend, spend, SPEND…
…I’m here to give you permission to cut corners, take things off of your to do list, say no, cancel plans, order take out, be a grinch, simplify menus, turn up in sweats, serve shop bought, ask for help, say bah humbug, manage expectations and delegate.
So that the holidays feel like an actual holiday …for you too
All without losing any of the magic of the season - read on to find out how.
What makes you feel stressed and exhausted at Christmas time?
Your first job is to think back over previous years to see what stressed you out the most about the Christmas season.
You can journal about it, think about it alone, or discuss it with your family - whatever works best for you.
I’ve split the tips in to these five categories so you can pick your own adventure based on your specific Christmas stressors - or feel free to scroll through them all.
I may receive a commission if you click on a link & buy - my full legal disclaimer is here
Disclaimer 1 - you don’t have to minimize anything that you enjoy, so skip any sections that aren’t relevant to you.
Disclaimer 2 - “But I have to make it magic for the kids!”
I know, I know. There’s so much pressure to make special occasions, EXTRA special for the little ones in our lives.
If I ever feel the panic creep up about this, I try to stop and think about what my kid actually thinks is magical vs. what I think is magical.
My version usually focuses more on how things look, and her version is usually much more fun focused (and less time consuming!)
E.g. Panic mode Ema thinks that every present needs to be extravagantly and beautifully wrapped with coordinating bow, ribbon, wrapping paper and lovingly homemade gift tag
…whereas Willow just wants to rip it open ASAP so she can so she can ignore the present and just play with the empty box
Minimize Christmas Exhaustion & Stress
Studyfinds.org reported that 88% of people surveyed find the holiday season to be the most stressful time of the year.
That’s not good!
And what made it even worse for me was that I would always forgot how hard it was every year.
We put so much pressure on ourselves to create a perfect holiday for all of our loved ones, and completely disregard ourselves in the process.
We forget that it’s physically, emotionally and mentally impossible to please all of the people, all of the time.
1) Manage people’s expectations
I aim to be a clear communicator and treat people with respect and grace, but overall I prioritize our needs and set boundaries where needed.
Even so, I always try to be considerate and share our plans with relevant people as early as possible so they can plan their holiday season too.
Appearing to pull out of things last minute can hurt people’s feelings.
2) It’s ok to minimize your decorations
Maybe you used to go all out with decorations but nowadays you’re finding it more of a chore?
Maybe you feel like you have to add seasonal decor to every room in the house?
Maybe others in your family love decorations but it’s always you that has to put them up and take them down?
Maybe putting up a full tree takes up too much space in your small home, so you do a do a mini table-top one instead?
Whatever the reason, you don’t have to hang a single bauble if you don’t want to.
And think about it - if you only put your absolute favourites up, they will really pop and taking them down in January will be a breeze!
3) It’s ok to minimize your festive schedule
Just because you get invited somewhere, doesn’t mean you have to go.
Have a think / chat with your family about the last few holiday seasons…
Did you feel exhausted and overwhelmed with the number of events?
Were there some events that you enjoyed more than others?
Did everyone in your family feel the same way about the events?
Here are some suggestions on how to minimize your schedule this year:
You could each pick 1-2 things to do this year
You could alternate between quiet days and fun days
You could limit yourselves to “X” number of events a week / weekend
You could agree to go to some events alone if others in your family are more introverted than you
You could prioritize events with your favourite people
You could do lots of seasonal events, but limit the amount of hosting you do
If it’s going out that drains you but you love to host, you could mostly have get togethers at your house
You could decide to focus on volunteering this holiday season
You could prioritise easy / no stress activities - my favourite is driving around to see Christmas lights
4) It’s ok to not send cards
Buying / making, writing, addressing and mailing cards is really time consuming.
If it’s not your favourite, feel free to skip it this year.
You can still make the extra effort to reach out to people you know will appreciate the festive cheer.
5) It’s ok to not do arts and crafts
I know that Pinterest tells us that if we really loved our kids everything would be handcrafted, but it turns out that’s codswallop, and that it’s possible to enjoy the holiday season without even a single speck of glitter.
Phew.
6) It’s ok to say no
No is a complete sentence.
You don’t have to do anything that you’re uncomfortable with
It’s ok to be mindful & intentional about how you spend your time
It’s ok to miss parties
It’s ok to not take part in the office secret Santa
It’s ok to not go to your ex-neighbour’s Grandkid’s school concert
It’s ok to protect your energy
7) It’s ok to minimize your gift wrapping
I love a good gift wrap - I’m a champion ribbon twirler.
In theory.
In reality I always leave it to the last minute and end up a frazzled mess with little bits of tape hanging off of me.
Here are some tips to simplify your gift wrapping:
Use gift bags
Use boxes
Put oddly shaped items in a cardboard box before you wrap it
Ask someone else in the family to wrap presents
Pay someone to wrap items (our local mall has charity tables that will wrap your gifts for your for a donation - win win!)
Buy from places that gift wrap
Lower your wrapping expectations
If you can get away with it, don’t wrap gifts
8) It’s ok to buy second-hand toys
One of my favourite lazy Christmas tips is to buy big toys secondhand so you don’t have to spend hours assembling them and sticking on 452 stickers.
9) It’s ok to eat-easy
Pinterest may make you feel like every morsel of food that you put into your mouth from November to January has to be a gourmet labour of love, but that’s not the case.
You can take a KFC bucket of chicken to the pot luck at work if you don’t have the energy to make something
You can order pizzas for the annual boxing day family games night if you’d rather join in with the fun instead of being stuck in the kitchen
You can give your Granny shop bought shortbread if baking stresses you out
It’s ok to survive on takeout or quick and easy meals (we love Fresh prep)
10) It’s ok to suggest taking turns doing things / going places each year
Sometimes the only way to make something fair is to take turns.
For some people that means going to their in laws every other year, or celebrating with their extended family on Christmas day one year, and boxing day the next.
Maybe you’d like to alternate between staying home one year and travelling the next, or changing up who hosts.
11) It’s ok to go away for Christmas
Getting away for a few days might be just what the doctor ordered for a relaxing start to the new year.
12) It’s ok to make new traditions
Traditions are a huge part of Christmastime, but don’t forget that you can always change things up and start your own traditions.
13) It’s ok to have a quiet Christmas
Don’t get caught up in the hype - Christmas can be as big and loud, or as quiet and small as you need.
14) It’s ok to stay in a hotel
If you are an introvert like me, staying in a hotel nearby to family may be a great investment.
Minimize Christmas Debt
15) It’s ok to want to stay out of debt
The perfect holiday season is the one that you can afford.
You do not have to go in to debt.
The statistics are not very jolly:
Canadians are predicted to spend $1+ trillion over the holiday season
We spend $1.67 for every $1 earned
60% of us are only paying the minimum payment on our credit card
More than 40% of those under 28 have still not paid off their debt from the previous Christmas
It’s ok to actively want to stay out of debt.
I’ve found that the best way to avoid festive debt is to have a plan. Here are some suggestions that have worked well for us:
16) Save up throughout the year
Ok, this is a sucky tip for this year, but it’s a belter for next year!
Set up an auto-transfer into a savings account so you’ll have a jolly chunk of cash next year.
As an added bonus, you could do a monthly no spend week and put the proceeds towards Christmas.
17) Make a budget & stick to it
We often just think of the cost of gifts when we think of a christmas budget, but don’t forget that presents usually only make up about a third of all festive costs!
Decorations, events, outfits, extra posh groceries, extra gas and accommodation if you’re travelling, etc. all need to be included too.
18) Arrange a secret Santa gift exchange.
There’s so many ways to do this but my favourite is to each pick a name of a person to buy for.
That way it’s more likely to be something that will be loved / used.
Buying a thoughtful gift for one person is easier and cheaper than panic buying a gift for everyone.
19) Give time rather than money
Let loved ones know that you’d rather spend time rather than money this year - see suggestions in tip no.60 below.
20) Shop secondhand
Buying secondhand means that you can save money and/or buy better quality.
I promise you that secondhand gifts are probably a lot more welcome than you realize.
In fact, in a recent IG poll, 96% of recipients said they'd love to receive preloved gifts.
Younger generations are especially accepting of secondhand gifts and you'll likely get tons of compliments for your taste.
To erase even the smallest chance of offending anyone, all you need to do is... ask them beforehand. It's so simple.
I like to bring it up casually in conversation so you're more likely to receive an honest response.
"Do you prefer secondhand or new gifts?"
If they say new, that's okay. If they say secondhand, that's amazing!
Keep a note of who your secondhand gift BFFs are.
21) Consider emails/texts/videos instead of paper cards
We’ve already covered how buying / making, writing, addressing and mailing cards is time consuming - but it’s also really costly.
Consider a heartfelt email / text / video in their place.
22) Encourage potlucks
Catering for large groups gets really expensive, really quickly.
I love potlucks because you get a great variety of food, you get to taste everyone’s favourite, and the cost and labour of food is shared.
We did a potluck for our Canadian wedding and this website made it really easy to keep track of who was bringing what - yum!
23) Reuse wrapping, gift bags, etc.
Gift wrapping is so expensive but you can keep costs down by reusing them.
Have a spot to keep them all together so they’re easy to put away and find when you need them.
24) Suggest group gifting for larger items
If you know someone wants a gift that’s out of your budget, consider asking their other loved ones if they want to split the costs.
Minimize Christmas waste
Waste increases approximately 25% during December and January.
My goal is to keep as many of our holiday related items from the landfill as possible:
25) Be specific if someone asks what Christmas gift you would like
Guessed presents are more likely to become waste.
In the UK, approximately 1.2 million unwanted Christmas gifts are thrown away each year.
That doesn’t even include the unwanted gifts that were sold, re-gifted, politely kept, or donated.
Letting people know exactly what you like is one of the best ways to cut down on festive waste.
26) Everyone could buy their own gift
Another way to avoid wasted gifts is to agree to buy your own gifts.
This is what Sean & I do, and it’s ideal because we KNOW we will use and/or love our new gift.
27) Ask for no gifts
If you already have everything you need and really want to avoid waste, let people know.
Some might not listen, but some might.
28) Give and ask for experience gifts
Experience gifts are a great zero-waste / low-waste alternative.
29) Be creative with wrapping gifts
You could let your gifts go nakey
Or if watching people unwrap gifts brings you joy, you could reuse:
Gift bags
Paper bags (turn them inside out to hide logos)
Tissue paper
Newspaper
Old maps
Comics, etc.
Check out Japanese furoshiki gift wrap for some stunning inspiration on how to wrap gifts in fabric
30) Use eco-friendly wrapping paper
If you really want to buy wrapping paper, try to avoid anything involving foil, laminated or metallic coating or sparkles as it can’t be recycled at most locations
31) Consider emails/texts/videos instead of paper cards
We’ve already covered how buying / making, writing, addressing and mailing cards is time consuming and expensive - but it’s also not very eco-friendly.
Consider a heartfelt email / text / video in their place.
32) Skip the crackers
...I know, I know - shocking to us Brits!
But they cause so much waste because everything is single-use.
Since moving to Canada, where they are much less popular, the only thing I miss about them are the silly hats.
I think that reusable silly hats are just as fun of a tradition! I’ve added them to my thrift list to look out for.
Minimize Christmas Mess
With extra events, less time, more clutter, frequent guests and an influx of new items, it’s no wonder that Christmas mess is so stressful and overwhelming.
33) Do a big purge before Christmas
Start early to keep your stress levels down, I’ve got lots of help for you:
If you don’t know where to start - this post will help take away the overwhelm
If you want to want to go through each room / space methodically and have a full clear out, here’s the decluttering method I use.
If you want to tackle the whole house but want some extra support, try this free 30 day challenge on how to become a minimalist
If clothes are your biggest issue, start with an easy capsule wardrobe
If toys are your biggest issue, set up a toy rotation
If impulsive purchases are setting you back, this will help
If you want a quickie solution, try this decluttering sprint to get rid of 80% of your clutter in one afternoon
34) Gift wrap box
Have a box out whilst you’re opening presents to save reusable gift bags, ribbon, etc.
35) Declutter & organize your decorations
Limit festive decorations to ones that you absolutely love, or that hold special meaning.
You don’t have to put something “meh” up just because it’s there.
There’s always some decorations left in the bottom of the box that don’t get put up and it’s time to let them go.
Don’t forget to review decorations again as you put them away.
Did they bring you joy whenever you looked at them?
Did any get damaged?
Decoration organization tips:
Store decorations together wherever possible to make finding them easier
Label or decorate the storage bins to make them easy to identify
Include seasonal items that sometimes get forgotten, e.g. festive sweaters, candles, serving dishes, quilts, etc.
This storage box is adjustable so you can store baubles and even tall figurines
This hanging gift wrap storage is really handy if you’ll use it year round, or there’s this option if you want to pack it away at the end of the holiday season
You can avoid the great twinkly light detangle with one of these
If your christmas tree box has seen better days, you can grab a storage bag - there are options for regular tress and even giant ones
36) Organize your fridge & freezer
Organizing your fridge and freezer will ensure there’s plenty of room for leftovers - nom!
This drawer system is great for fruit and veg because you can easily see everything, they can be stacked, and you can store things on top of them.
I love a lazy susan moment in the fridge for sauces
This is great storage for different sized cans and bottles
I’m sober nowadays, and never had wine leftovers when I did drink but this wine bottle storage would be handy for normal people
Personally, I use storage with handles. It looks less cute but it makes life easier. Correction - I found these that are actually really cute
Under-shelf storage is a great way to use up every nook and cranny
I love this adjustable freezer stand
37) Buy second hand
Another bonus of buying second hand gifts is that it drastically reduces the amount of packaging mess that comes into your home!
38) Plan where any known new items will go
If you know of any new items that will be coming into the home, make a plan for where they’re going to go now, so that analysis paralysis doesn’t slow down the putting away process later on.
39) Set up sell, donate, memory & outbound boxes
This is a year round tip but works great during this season.
Have dedicated sell, donate, memory & outbound (anything to be returned or regifted would go here) boxes.
Minimize Christmas Gift Headaches
Giving and receiving Christmas gifts can turn in an emotional and etiquette minefield.
Applying a minimalism lens to gifts means being more intentional when we give, and receive.
Here are some tips on how to minimize Christmas gift headaches.
- Gift giving -
40) It’s ok to not buy your kid much
Whether it’s for financial reasons or because you know they will get lots from other people, it’s aok.
Growing up, I woke up to lots and few Christmas gifts, depending on the year - but I have magical memories of Christmas with my family either way.
41) Its ok to not get presents for kids that are too young to understand
Willow loved the lights and being around family, but she had no understanding of Christmas until she was around three, so we didn’t stress about presents for the first couple of years.
42) It’s ok to just do, “something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read”
I love this simple gift giving principle because it helps me stay focused and not go overboard.
43) Its ok to just buy one present
If you’re putting every last penny in to a gift you know a loved one with absolutely love, you don’t have to overstretch yourself to buy things so they’ll “have more to open”.
44) Remove ego
When giving gifts, I remind myself to try and remove my ego from the process - it’s only a gift if the recipient wants it, otherwise it’s going to end up as stress, clutter, or waste.
It’s about them, not me.
The goal is to get them something they love.
45) Ask for their wish list
Surprises are great when you know the person through and through, but if you’re at all unsure, skip the guesswork, and ask what they fancy.
46) Ask other people close to them for ideas
If you want to retain an element of surprise, ask their nearest and dearest what they’d like.
47) Ask what some of their favourite gifts have been in the past
Another secret squirrel way to see what sort of gifts they love is to ask them about their favourite gifts that they’ve received previously.
Bonus points if you do this at a completely random time of the year, not in the run up to Christmas.
48) If there is a wish list, don’t stray too far from it
If they have given a wish list, the safe bet is to stick to it.
49) Listen out for anything the recipient doesn’t want
Did they mention cutting down sugary treats/alcohol, any allergies, no space to expand a collection, they don’t want toy guns for their kids, etc.?
Some of us may have been known to drop a hint or two in the run up to Christmas.
50) Keep a note on your phone & jot down any gift ideas
Note down any hints, gift ideas or things to avoid.
51) Listen if they say no thank you
If someone says they don’t want / need anything, honour that.
Maybe they don’t have the funds to reciprocate, maybe they feel overwhelmed with how much stuff they already have.
I’m sure a small, consumable gift or a donation to their favourite charity would be appreciated if you really want to get them something.
52) Consider a gift card
If you’re not 100% sure about what to get them, consider a gift card or cash.
53) Beware of practical gifts
Be extra careful with practical gifts - e.g. a vacuum would be a sucky gift for me
54) Avoid self improvement gifts
Avoid self improvement gifts unless they are specifically requested, e.g. gym membership
55) Don’t apologize for your gift
Don’t apologize for your gift, “sorry, it’s only small”, etc.
56) Include a gift receipt
Where possible, include a gift receipt to make their life easier.
It automatically shows that their happiness is your priority.
57) Let them know you’re on Team return/donate/re-gift!
Let them know that they’re free to pass it on once they’re done with it.
I always mention this to avoid any guilt about them letting go of the item - whether that be in the near or distant future.
58) Try not to put people on the spot
I try to avoid direct questions like, “do you like it?”, or requests for people to try something on right away.
59) My ultimate gift-giving rules
If giving gifts doesn’t align with your current budget and/or season of life, let loved ones know that you’re sitting out gift giving this time.
Love is not made up of material things.
You do not owe anyone anything.
A gift is not a gift if something is expected in return.
60) Make a Grinch agreement
I love this concept by Rachelle of Abundant life with less, where you can agree beforehand to forgo swapping gifts for a simpler Christmas.
61) Time gift ideas
Time gift ideas cut down on waste and clutter, and really capture the spirit of the season.
Here are some ideas of some time gifts that you could request, or offer:
Make a plan to binge watch a show together
Quality time over the holidays
Regular zoom date
Time spent making their favourite foods
A goal to do the top ten local hikes together
Choose an organisation to both volunteer with
Offer to baby/dog/house sit
Work your way through the top ten hamburgers / pizzas / doughnuts, etc. in your city (look for local articles for inspiration)
Help them with a project that they’ve been meaning to do - e.g. put photos in to albums, up cycle an old chest of drawers, build a fire pit, decorate their craft room, organise their pantry, etc.
A themed movie marathon, e.g. musicals, LoTR, your favourite director/actor, etc.
Set a group steps goal for the next year
Perfect a recipe together
Write a “bucket list” of activities to do together in the next year
Make a photo slide show set to their favourite song
Get an joint allotment to grow your own vegetables
Get a group together to make a Vidday video (not a sponsored post but our family made a vidday video for my Papa, and he said it was the best present he’s ever received in all of his 90 years)
Take up a new hobby together
Learn a language that you can practice together
Start a new tradition with them
Draw them a picture of their favourite things
Clean their car inside & out
Write up some of your favourite memories of them
Learn how to play / sing their favourite song
Here are 121+ minimalist gift ideas if you need more inspiration.
- Receiving gifts -
Maybe you struggle with clutter, maybe you can’t reciprocate this time, maybe you live in a really small space ...there are many reasons why receiving gifts could be a bit stressful.
Here are some suggestions to honour enthusiastic gift givers, and nervous gift receivers alike:
62) Normalise responding when people ask what you want
Giving gifts is a really big deal for some people, so even if you don’t want the fuss, or don’t want them to spend their money on you, they are probably going to anyway.
So you’re better off making life easier on them and you, by letting them know what you’d like.
The more specific you are, the more likely it will be to loved/used.
63) Ask for consumables
Ask for consumables that you know you love/use, e.g. Granny’s famous scones, your favourite bubble bath, posh coffee that’s usually out of your budget, etc.
64) Ask for an experience, subscription, gift card, cash or a donation to your favourite charity
If you want to cause minimum fuss, these sorts of gifts that people can arrange online are a breeze.
65) Ask for a secondhand gift
Secondhand gifts support a circular economy and should be less of a financial burden for the gifter.
66) Feel free to drop hints
If someone doesn’t ask, but you know for sure that they plan to buy you something, feel free to kindly drop a hint and point them in the right direction.
Where relevant, give people closest to you a few modest suggestions in case anyone asks them what to get you
67) Focus on the gratitude
For a variety of reasons, some of us find receiving gifts to be uncomfortable, so my top tip is to extend grace and focus on the gratitude.
Even if minimalism is a big part of your life, try to find patience for loved ones who want to buy you all of the things.
There’s always something to be grateful for when someone gives you a gift.
Here are some responses you can use:
Thanks so much for thinking of me
It really makes my heart happy that you went to all of this trouble
You know how to make a girl feel loved
Replace “oh you shouldn’t have” with a simple “thank you”
68) Pick your battles
Don’t like your gift?
Sometimes it’s appropriate to give feedback, and sometimes it’s not. At the end of the day, relationships are more important than things.
For instance, I’m 100% comfortable thanking my hubby and letting him know that I’ll exchange something for another colour, but with Great Aunt Gertrude I would just focus on showering her in love & gratitude, then decide what to do with the gift later.
69) What to do with Christmas gifts you don’t want
I do a deep dive on what to do with unwanted gifts here. Should you keep it, should you ‘fess up, complicated feelings that could come up, etc. Check it out.
Personally, I’m on Team return, resell or donate. Its okay to let go of things if they don’t work for you and your home.
We are the gate keepers of our homes. We don’t honour ourselves, our loved ones, or our stuff if we store it away at the back of a cupboard to be “nice”.
I know you just want to make them happy, but politely keeping a gift is not making anyone happy, and letting it go doesn’t mean you don’t love the person that gave it to you.
On the flip side, it’s also ok to practice humility and wait a while and see if you really do or don’t like something before deciding what to do.
It gives us a chance to be surprised and delighted that the gift giver may know us better than we know ourselves.
I once received a book of poems from my bestie. I thanked her profusely and fully expected to pass it on as I’m not a huge fan of poetry, but there I was in tears halfway through reading the first poem because it was so beautiful. What do I know, hey :)
Conclusion
After reading these minimalism tips for a simpler Christmas, I hope you’re ready to enjoy your holiday season with less mess and stress.
It will be my first Christmas without my mum, so I’m definitely going to be gentle with myself and avoid any unnecessary overwhelm.
Happy holidays 💚
