How to Embrace a Slow and Simple Christmas

Ah, Christmas—the time of joy, magic, and (let’s be honest) absolute mayhem. Between frantic shopping, endless events, and trying to untangle fairy lights that somehow form a Gordian knot every year, it’s easy to get stressed and end up feeling more bah humbug than ho ho ho. But what if, just this once, you hit the brakes and opted for a slower, simpler Christmas? Let’s unwrap how you can do just that (don’t worry, this is the only wrapping involved).

Why Slow Down at Christmas?

Because life is not a Hallmark movie. If the lead-in to your personal Christmas film is overwhelmed, over-caffeinated, and on the verge of tears in a gift-wrapping aisle, it’s time for a rewrite. Enter a slower, calmer Christmas. A slow Christmas is about savouring the season—focusing on what makes it magical for you, not what the world expects you to cram into December.

When you simplify, you reclaim time for the things that actually matter: sitting by the fire with a mug of something warm, catching up with loved ones, or taking a moment to admire the twinkling lights. Bonus? A slower pace is easier on your wallet, your nerves, and your chances of experiencing a rogue glitter explosion. And the good news is, a calmer Christmas is totally do-able. Mostly, all it takes is a change of approach.

How to Have a Slow and Simple Christmas

1. Rethink Gift Giving

Let’s start with the big one: presents. The source of many people’s festive stress, and for all sorts of reasons. The shopping overwhelm, the money overwhelm, the wondering where to stop and what is enough. We put so much pressure on ourselves, so let’s take some of that off.

Of course, giving and receiving gifts is wonderful, but do you need to buy for your boss’s cat? Probably not. Instead, consider:

Secret Santa: Agree with friends or family to buy for just one person instead of everyone. This can work really well for big family gathering or a group of friends.

Homemade Gifts: If (and only if) you have time on your hands this December, bake some festive cookies or put together jarred hot chocolate mixes. Pinterest is your friend here. (If you’re short on time, don’t even go near this one, you’ll end up more stressed!)

Experiences Over Things: A coffee date, tickets to a show, or even a voucher for a massage can mean more than a sweater they’ll only wear once.

And remember, it’s not a competition for the most Instagram-worthy wrapping. A simple gift bag works just fine.

2. Declutter Your Calendar

December can feel like one long, glitter-filled sprint from one event to the next. Work parties, school plays, light switch-ons, the local panto, catch-ups with friends… and this is all before Christmas even arrives. Some years it feels fun. Others years it can feel enough to make you want to hibernate until January.

Solution? Say no. You heard me right. No is a full sentence. Pick a handful of events that genuinely excite you, and politely decline the rest. Use that newfound time for low-key activities that will actually relax you – like:

• Watching a classic Christmas movie in your pyjamas. If you’ve never sat happy-weeping over It’s a Wonderful Life having just eaten an entire Terry’s Chocolate Orange, then you need to rethink your life choices.
• Taking a stroll to admire the neighbourhood lights. Other people’s handiwork is pretty joyous.
• Having a dedicated nothing day—no plans, no stress, just whatever makes you happy in the moment.

You might also like: 25 At-Home Activities for December

3. Simplify Your Christmas Decorations

Raise your hand if you’ve spent years collecting Christmas decorations, and have enough to make your own multi-room grotto? Yep, same. Some years I can’t wait to get stuck in. But other times I bring out all the boxes and get completely overwhelmed by the scale of all the stuff. The thought of all of that work sucks the joy out of it. And so some years I stick half of it back in the attic.

If you’re feeling the same, go for simple but effective decor this year instead:

• Focus on one or two key areas, like your living room and front door.
• Use what you have and don’t feel tempted to buy a whole load more stuff, however tempting the aisles of Home Bargains are looking.
• Forget the colour-coded Instagram decor and let your tree be a happy, mismatched collection of memories.
• Make sure the family chips in to help. It’s not all down to you.

4. Savour Small Christmas Traditions

Big, elaborate traditions are lovely, but the smaller, quieter ones often carry the most meaning. They’re the ones you’ll remember. They’re the ones your kids will talk about years later. Think:

• Buying the same festive-scented candle each year so it becomes the smell of your Christmas home
• Playing board games in pyjamas during December weekends
• Writing heartfelt cards to a few close friends (instead of sendinga massive pile just because you think you should)
• Reading the same Christmas books each year with the kids. Our favourites are Christmas in Exeter Street and Mog’s Christmas.

You might also like: Easy Family Christmas Traditions

5. Keep Christmas Food Simple

The idea of a perfectly roasted turkey with all the trimmings is delightful—until you’re sweating in the kitchen for eight hours while everyone else is sipping champagne. I am terribly guilty of insisting on doing everything single-handed, but don’t be like me. Instead:

• Share the load. Accept offers of help. Let people in the kitchen with you and delegate. Christmas is not the time to be a kitchen martyr.
• Pick a few standout dishes and skip the rest. Who really needs five kinds of potatoes and three different stuffings? (As long as there are plenty of pigs-in-blankets, no one will care what is missing.)
• Lean into casual meals—think grazing boards, party food, or a festive brunch.
• Let someone else make or buy the dessert.

6. Be Present

In the end, the best way to embrace a slow and simple Christmas is to be there. Fully. Put the phone down, stop worrying about getting everything “just right,” and soak in the good stuff. The smell of pine needles. The sound of laughter. The sight of someone’s face lighting up (even if it’s just because you remembered to chill the prosecco). Because Christmas isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing what matters.

Final Thoughts

Slowing down doesn’t mean skimping on the magic—it means making space for it. So this year, let go of the perfect Pinterest vision and embrace the perfectly imperfect moments instead.

And hey, if you accidentally eat half the advent calendar in one sitting? That’s just efficiency.

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