Christmas is upon us! But what if this year, instead of tackling the mountain of tasks weighing on our shoulders, the goal was to experience a slower, more intimate celebration? 

I know, of course, that this is not an easy task with a small child, but now that there is a little one in the family, it makes sense to truly celebrate Christmas again. After all, this is the time of sparkling eyes, excited whispers, and happy little faces!

 

Let's experience them with joyful hearts, instead of endless struggles with tasks! 

 

Before I share some tips and tricks to achieve this, I feel it's important to state: most of the tasks and duties we chase are really just "decoration," a perceived but not real obligation. 

There is a good chance that looking back, your child will not remember how many types of cookies were on the table, what the wrapping paper looked like, or - with a few exceptions - what they received from Santa for Christmas, but rather the shared moments, conspiratorial smiles, and family traditions unique to you. 

 

So when you dive into this year's holiday tasks, please do so with this in mind! But to further assist you in the weeks ahead, I have a few more useful tips!

 

1. Make a list!

Whether you're a "list person" or not, it can be helpful to gather and organize the many thoughts that pop into your head during the holidays. What should the gifts be? What should the holiday menu be? What should you absolutely not forget? Just write them down, write them all down so you can deal with them meaningfully later! Of course, it's best if you take a few calm moments to write your list, perhaps with a pleasant scented candle and a hot drink! It's much more enjoyable this way, isn't it? 

 

 

2, Select! What is really important? 

Once you have the list, it's better to acknowledge now: not everything written down will be realized! Think about what is important and essential for the celebration, and it's best to ask your family about this too! I'm sure that items like “at least six types of cookies” and similar won't be among the ideas, so you can review and shorten your previously written list based on the incoming and your considered criteria. Did no one mention that the whole house should sparkle like a Christmas tree? Then you can already cross off the serious decorating task! 

Of course, there are items without which the celebration is not a celebration, even if no one specifically brings them up - such as the festive dinner. For these tasks, it's also worth considering how much energy we can invest with a good heart. 

 

3, Simplify!

If the list of truly important and necessary tasks is ready, we can still trim our duties a bit: it's worth reviewing what we can simplify or what we can get some help with. A typically simplifiable item is the festive menu and cookie mountain: although there is no Christmas without delicacies, you can agree with relatives on who bakes or cooks what, and we can also agree with ourselves that this year we don't need three types of appetizers or five types of main courses. 

Delicious bejglis and Christmas cookies » 

Classic and modern Christmas recipes on Kifli Chef »

 

4, Plan it! Outsource it!

If you know what things you really have to deal with, make a detailed plan of when you will deal with what! Of course, you don't have to do everything alone: older children can be involved in decorating the house or cutting out cookies, and this year could be the perfect opportunity for dad to finally learn how to wrap gifts. (And with that, we've let go of the image of perfectly wrapped gifts for this year, right?)

But you can also entrust the shopping to us, just pack your virtual shopping cart, and we'll take care of the rest! 

The main thing is this: if you write down and schedule your tasks, then there's a good chance nothing important will be left out!

Entrust the shopping to us! »

 

 

5, Live it!

Often, it's not the destination but the journey that matters. This is somewhat true for holiday preparations as well. Light a scented candle, play your favorite Christmas playlist, wear quirky festive clothes... the key is to focus not only on the tasks but also on your own experience!

The holiday is unlikely to be perfect: things will go wrong, some things won't work out, and the kids will be their usual selves, but the emphasis is not on the perfection posted on Facebook, but on your family. It's about you, the shared experiences, and the shared fun.

For this, Mom needs to be present. To experience, not just endure. 

 

 

+1 Do you have a young child? Plan their complementary feeding too! 

To ensure your baby doesn't encounter certain ingredients for the first time at the festive table, plan ahead for the upcoming period and decide which ingredients you want to introduce to them before the Christmas feasting. (I offer help with this in two previous articles!) 

Christmas with the Baby - Christmas Foods in Complementary Feeding

Christmas with the Baby - Baby-Friendly Gingerbread

 

However, it's not enough for you to be aware of the possibilities; it's important to inform your surroundings as well! Some misunderstandings, or even offenses, can be avoided if Grandma or the relatives know which bites the little one can eat and which they cannot yet. Since everyone wants to please the youngest taster, it's best to provide a few specific, safe recipes so that those who want to delight your child with food can do so confidently. 

In our country, preparing food and eating is an important "language of love" (whether we accept it or not), so the best solution is to communicate openly and help the relatives express this. This way, family drama, unnecessary tension, and emergency visits can be avoided. 

 

The most important thing, however, is this: view the upcoming period objectively, commit to the values important to you, and prepare for Christmas along these lines – stress-free!

 

I wish you joyful holiday preparations!