Your Guide to a Minimalist Christmas

Christmas is without a doubt my favorite holiday of the year. But what did you expect? My name is Holly, after all.

However, alongside the magic of the season can come a lot of pressure — from the decorations on the mantel to the gifts you place under the tree. And as we begrudgingly hop on the holiday hamster wheel year after year, it can feel as though there’s no avoiding the inevitable: a focus on consumption, a packed social calendar, and an underlying feeling of discontentment and comparison. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

If you’re looking to simplify your Christmas this year, here are a few practical ways to steer the sleigh in a more intentional direction, one that places emphasis on quality time with loved ones rather than the inanimate objects you exchange amongst yourselves.

Here are some ideas for creating a minimalist Christmas this year — and the years to come!

Plan Ahead

For any of the following steps to go smoothly, it’s important to plan ahead. This means setting a budget, shopping for any gifts well ahead of time, and communicating with family well in advance. After all, poor decisions are often made because they are rushed, especially when it comes to shopping. How many times have you panicked about a gift at the last minute, causing you to resort to something completely random or lacking purpose? If you have time to pick something with intention, you can choose something more wisely. Not to mention, you can even make a gift for someone (like knitting a scarf!) or take the time to pick something they’ll love from a maker on Etsy.

Keep the Decorations Simple

We love our Christmas decor around here — so much so that we’ve started to decorate in early November each year. But, we limit ourselves to just one plastic box that contains all of our decorations, including indoor and outdoor lights, ornaments, stockings, and other random items. Then, each year we complement it with natural “living” items, like greenery for garlands and wreaths, dried orange slices, pinecones, bare branches, and Christmasy candles. Then, once the season is over, we can discard those items.

One thing we don’t discard each year is our tree. That’s right — we fully converted to the fake tree world last year, and I haven’t looked back. I know there’s nothing like the look and smell of a real tree, but our one-time $60 purchase of our tree means we don’t have to buy a new one each year, which cuts back on costs and waste!

Avoid Comparison

Don’t compare yourself (or in this case, your home) to what you see on Instagram or Pinterest! This time of year, it’s especially easy to feel inadequate in the home decor department, as your favorite influencers pull out all the stops with their Christmas decor. Your home is special solely because it’s your home — and no fancy garland or 20-foot tree is going to change that.

Plus, don’t compare your traditions, parameters on gifts, or other simple ways of life with how others are celebrating the holiday. This is two-fold! 1) Don’t feel inadequate or less-than when you catch wind of the neighbors’ kids, who each got 25 toys. 2) But also, don’t judge others for how they’re celebrating, no matter how extravagant. Remain confident about your approach, yet don’t use it as an excuse to appear holier than thou.

Set Clear Expectations

It’s important to set clear expectations with both your immediate and extended family. If you have kids, make it known well in advance what the plan is for the year, whether that’s a limited number of gifts, an experiential gift you do as a family (like a trip to Disneyland or another vacation), or some other parameters you’ve set in place. If your kids are young enough, you can establish a realistic expectation so it becomes the “norm” for your family going forward.

It’s also important to (kindly) set boundaries with extended family, especially grandparents, if you have kids. You can pass along a specific gift your kids have been asking for or even set a limit on how many gifts you’re allowing this year. There are many ways you should tactfully go about this, since it can be a sensitive issue (maybe I’ll write about this soon!).

Be Specific About Any Gifts You Want

I’ve spent too many years of my life saying “I don’t know” when asked what I want for Christmas, which typically causes anxiety for the gift giver — who often resorts to a gift I don’t necessarily keep in the long run (that I’m very thankful for nevertheless!). You can avoid all of that by being a bit more direct if someone insists on getting you something. Don’t be afraid to pass along information about something specific you’ve had your eye on, or something that would add value to your life.

Give Consumable or Experiential Gifts

If you’ve been around a while, you know I’m a fan of consumable and experiential gifts. A consumable gift is something that can be consumed or used up. Essentially, it’s something that eventually goes away. While this certainly includes food and drink items, it doesn’t just have to be something you can eat, as the word “consumable” might make you believe. Think bath products, plants, or my personal favorite — a candle. And what is an experiential gift? It’s exactly what you think it is: an experience. So, while it may look like a piece of paper at the onset, its value is in the actual act of doing said experience, whether it’s going to a concert, taking lessons, etc. See my list of consumable and experiential gifts for some ideas for giving (or requesting for yourself)! Bonus points if you source your gifts from a small or locally owned business.

Or Forgo Gifts Altogether

If you want a true minimalist experience, you can opt to forgo gifts altogether this year. My family did this a few times growing up; instead of receiving gifts, we went on a mission trip to Mexico the week leading up to Christmas. While I (probably) didn’t appreciate it at the age of 4 and 8, I am now thankful for that detox from the ultra-consumeristic holiday season I had grown so accustomed to. Forgoing gifts means you can focus on more important things: time with family, slowing down, practicing gratitude, and celebrating Jesus’ birth.

Emphasize Christmas Experiences and Traditions

No matter how you handle gifts this year, place emphasis on Christmas experiences and traditions. Not only are they fun and exciting, but you don’t have to store, wrap or find room to display that which is experiential. This year, make an intentional effort to fully embrace the holiday season with festive activities. You can build a gingerbread house, drive around to see Christmas lights in the neighborhood, bake cookies, watch a Christmas movie, drink mulled wine, make a fort and sleep under the tree on Christmas Eve, or make ornaments — the list is endless!

Give Back

There is nothing quite as fulfilling as giving back — especially during the holiday season, when so many are in need. I don’t remember a lot of details about my Christmases as a child, but I remember every single time my family did something to help someone in need. Volunteer at a local shelter, purchase a gift for a child with Toys for Tots or another program in your area, or make a monetary donation to an organization dear to your heart. Or on a day-to-day basis, you can simply send a meal to someone you know who is sick, shovel snow off your neighbor’s driveway, pay for the coffee behind you in the drive-thru, etc.

Focus on Quality Time with Loved Ones

The holiday season seems to fly by every year, before we’ve even had a chance to fully enjoy all its goodness. Sometimes we spend so much time stressing about the decorations and the gifts that we forget to pay attention to the people right in front of us. This year, make an intentional effort to spend time with loved ones, whether it’s with your immediate family at home or your extended family on FaceTime or Zoom. Trust me: when all is said and done, you’ll remember and cherish those moments more than the tinsel and toys.

Merry Christmas!

What minimalist Christmas tips do you have? Let me know in the comments below!