Christmas is finally here! At SugaPlum we are big fans of the jolly season and we happily sing along Mariah every time she comes up. But we are also quite aware that it can be a mentally taxing few weeks, with so much going on, extra expenses, extra activities, family visits etc.
We have put together a nice Advent Calendar of Christmas Mindfulness to give you some ideas to make this go easier on you and your family! Take a look:
Day 1. Do nothing and enjoy the first day of the season without any pressure.
Day 2. Call an elderly relative: they will be happy to hear from you!
Day 3. Check out the decorations in your town! They probably went up already and it’s a cheap and nice memory for the whole family.
Day 4. Get some rest and watch a cool old Christmas movie with your kids: instant happy mood!
Day 5. Do a random and genuine act of kindness: tell a stranger that they look nice or the guy that serves you that their coffee is simply amazing. This can really make a difference in someone’s day!
Day 6. Make yourself a nice cup of your favourite hot tea and enjoy it. Sometimes it’s hard to take even 5 minutes off the craziness but it’s essential from time to time.
Day 7. Wrap two gifts if you already started buying them. If you wrap them as you get them, it will be one less thing you need to take care of later.
Day 8. Play some of your favourite Christmas music during a meal. It can be pretty uplifting!
Day 9. Get some spicy mulled wine (or any drink you enjoy!) and relax for a few minutes of good conversation with your partner after putting the kids to bed.
Day 10. Have a bit of a digital detox! We are not saying to lock your screens forever, just put them away for a few hours and forget about what the rest of the world is doing. Remember that the exquisite content people are posting is part of a curated business front in most cases, and that real life is not nearly as clean and well-lighted as the photos we see in our feeds.
Day 11. Do a nice Christmas activity with your kids! Nothing too complicated: decorate some sugar cookies or put together the Ikea gingerbread. No need to create everything from scratch, the important thing is a fun and relaxed time together.
Day 12. Make a pause to remember and honour the loved ones you wish that were here but aren’t. Christmas is a specially difficult time and things can become a bit too much, so remember to give yourself permission to not be ok, but also to enjoy the season. And always reach out for help if you need it.
Day 13. Donate to a local charity. It could be preloved toys or clothes that you are not using anymore, it could be new toys, food or money if it’s in your means. This is a great time to give to the less fortunate.
Day 14. Take a few minutes in your bath or shower to relax and pamper yourself. Do a couple of things off the long list you’ve been postponing because well, you are so busy!
Day 15. Call your best friend and check on them!
Day 16. Read a few pages of that book that is sitting on your bedside table since March.
Day 17. Take a stroll around the town and enjoy how gorgeous it looks with the Christmas lights!
Day 18. Go out for half an hour and do a short walk around the block, go to the gym, or do whatever activity that makes you happy.
Day 19. Slow down a bit! At this point, we will all be in the pre-Christmas frenzy and getting pretty stressed out. Stop, do a few minutes of breathing exercises and remember to enjoy the process.
Day 20. Drink some hot cocoa with some cookies. You deserve it.
Day 21. Take a look at your own Christmas decorations and try to remember how they got there. Plenty of stories!
Day 22. Make a small pause, and take the opportunity to appreciate your family.
Day 23. Make a long pause, and take the opportunity to appreciate yourself.
Day 24. Enjoy the day! Merry Christmas ❤
