Mindfulness in the holiday season
December and January tend to be big months of the year across many cultures, bringing about festivals such as Christmas and Hanukkah, and ushering in the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year. The world has been a troubling place in 2023 - to put it mildly - and for those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to celebrate a special occasion this winter season, the holidays can bring some respite from everyday challenges, a welcome break from routine, and a chance to catch up with people that we might not see at other times of the year.
At the same time, the end of the year can be a chaotic time for a lot of reasons, and one which can bring about its own particular challenges. In this last ‘Mindfulness and wellbeing’ article of 2023, we’re going to share some tips on keeping on top of everything during this holiday season.
Rule number one: Plan ahead
This is probably easier said than done, and you might have left it too late already, but wherever possible, it’s good to plan everything from gift buying to food shopping to public transport, and give yourself some leeway to compensate for any hiccups that you might encounter along the way, such as reduced opening hours, limited public transport, and the fact that most places are likely to be much, much busier than usual.
Rule number two: Know who’s coming
Holiday seasons tend to involve a lot of socialising, whether this is with work colleagues or with other acquaintances that you might not see at other times in the year. If you intend to go out partying, always make sure you have either a designated driver or a safe way for everyone to get home again, and ideally plan this before you head out for the night.
If you’re hosting people in your home, it’s always good to know whether your guests have any special dietary requirements or other needs that you might have to plan ahead for. As well as having enough food and drinks for everyone, it’s probably a good idea to also top up on kitchen towels, toilet paper, and anything else that you might need if you have more people than usual in your house.
Rule number three: Buy gifts strategically
Major holidays tend to be associated with rampant consumerism, and while it’s always nice to give presents to others, if at all possible, try to buy your presents ahead of time (see rule number one), and buy things that you think will be meaningful to each person. If this is easier said than done - and some people are impossible to buy for - try to choose presents that will at least support the person selling them. If you have the opportunity, try to shop locally or choose small businesses.
Remember also to look after your own financial situation and avoid spending money that you can’t afford on buying presents for people. A lot of people find themselves over-stretched during January due to the excesses of the holiday season, particularly when a lot of companies tend to pay employees earlier than usual in December, which then leaves a longer-than-usual stretch between paydays.
If your situation is the opposite and you have money to spare at the start of the new year, you could always consider making a small donation to a local cause, and spreading the goodwill that way. Food banks tend to be particularly stretched over the winter months, as do animal charities.
Rule number four: Remember to look out for people who might be struggling
Any kind of major holiday period can be difficult for vulnerable people. Celebrations create a lot of expectations, and can be desperately challenging for people who are lonely, estranged from their family members, or living in foreign countries. For better or for worse, holidays tend also to be associated with conspicuously spending large amounts of money, and this can be difficult for people facing financial hardship.
Festive periods also have a tendency to force people to project a different version of themselves, which is even more the case now that social media gives everyone a platform to tell the world how joyful their celebrations are. If you’re in any way prone to comparing yourself unfavourably with other people, it’s probably best to stay away from social media at this time of the year.
Rule number five: Remember that not everyone is necessarily celebrating
A lot of people doing key-worker roles are unable to go on leave at a time when it feels like virtually the whole world is taking a week or more off, and it’s important to be thankful for the people who continue to keep everything running while the rest of us are celebrating. Likewise, you might have friends that come from other traditions and are not marking any occasions at this time of the year, and they might find it really boring to be faced with limited services when they’d otherwise be continuing with their normal routine anyway.
Rule number six: Take a flexible approach and prepare to make changes to your plans
Realise that you can only do so much. Despite the excitement of this time of year, it’s important to recognise that we’re all fighting a lot of challenges, such as travelling at a time when a vast number of other people are, or battling inclement weather in many of the more northerly (or southerly) parts of the world. Sometimes despite our best efforts, we simply can’t be everywhere, or do everything. Don’t feel like you have to be the perfect host, or the perfect guest, and try and be accommodating when things don’t work entirely to plan.
Rule number seven: Relax and enjoy the experience
Despite all of the chaos of this time of year, there’s something to be said about having the opportunity to catch up with friends and enjoy the temporary suspension of your routine, whether this means taking time out from work and other activities, or simply having the opportunity to eat more indulgent food than you normally would. Also, remember that holiday periods in any religion or culture tend to be relatively short-lived, so you can enjoy yourself with the knowledge that it’s a temporary break from the routine and things will soon be back to normal again.
With that, we conclude our last article of the year. Do you have any other top tips for keeping calm and enjoying a festive period? Regardless of what you celebrate, we’d love to know how you plan for the holidays, and whether you have any more top tips for us.
Happy holidays!
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