Outside, the natural world is slowing, but our culture is just getting going. Is it the season for slowing down or for getting the cookies made, the holiday cards sent, the errands run—maybe just one more trip to Target? Does the Elf on the Shelf have to do something funny every night?
The choice is yours. What rhythm do you want to plug in to?
Maybe you want to ban the busy, but how? There is too much to do!
The wise traveler knows that checking off all the “top ten things to do” when visiting a city can leave one weary, and sometimes unfulfilled. Whether traveling or staying home for the holidays, you can do something similar and toss out the “must do” activities and chores. Are they really “must do” or are they details that only overwhelm?
You are allowed to be choosy about what you schedule.
You are allowed to bake the cookies with your children and sing while you do it, and lick the bowls and laugh, and not care if they don’t turn out perfect. You are allowed to purchase store-made cookies to wrap as presents. You are allowed to leave the mess until tomorrow. You’re seriously allowed to leave dishes in the sink overnight.
Do you need to forget the holiday photo and cards this year and instead post a pic on social media? Do it.
In order to tap into the slow of the season, take a moment to be in the moment with your family. Just make the choice. What happens in the few minutes it takes to make hot cocoa? It is the good stuff that life is made of. It’s the thing your children will remember: the smell of warm milk and chocolate, the Christmas carols in the background, the anticipation, the waiting with you.
What are the traditions you want to keep sacred, and which do you want to toss out? You are allowed to choose. Do you savor the morning when everyone unloads their stocking, or the night when the candle is lit? Whatever you do, wherever you are, protect it. Keep it from being interfered with. You guide the energy in your home, or in the guesthouse. Bring your full presence to a simple, traditional act.
When we don’t make the conscious effort to create moments, the season can pass by in a whirlwind of activity.
What are the ways you cultivate a slow, intentional season?