Stop Christmas Overwhelm: Find Real Joy
For many of us, Christmas is a season that’s overstuffed with expectations. There are gifts to buy, meals to prepare, events to attend, and people to please. It can feel like an endless marathon, leaving little time to enjoy the moments that truly matter. Instead of filling every corner of our lives with obligations, what if we made space for joy, meaning, and connection?
1. SIMPLIFY TO AMPLIFY JOY
The original holidays were simple—a moment to pause and celebrate faith, family, and hope. For example, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah reminds us of resilience and light amidst darkness, a beautiful parallel to finding joy and connection in our own celebrations. There were no elaborate decorations, no perfectly curated meals, and yet it was a moment of profound joy and significance. Simplify your season by asking yourself what truly matters. Do you need to bake six kinds of cookies, or will one batch shared with love be enough? Will anyone notice if you don’t hang every ornament, or is it okay to leave some space on the tree this year? Simplification creates breathing room for what really brings happiness.
2. LISTEN TO THE RIGHT VOICES
The holidays can be noisy, with countless voices telling us what we “should” be doing. These voices can feel like the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, whispering reminders of how things have been, pressuring us with current trends, and fueling anxieties about making this year unforgettable. Take inspiration from A Christmas Carol: instead of letting these ghosts dictate your season, reflect on what truly matters and align your actions with those values. These might come from our past (“We’ve always done it this way”), our present (“Look at what everyone else is doing”), or our imagined future (“If I don’t do this, it won’t be a memorable Christmas”). This year, tune out the noise and tune into what matters most. Reflect on the kind, gentle voice of faith that calls us to focus on love, grace, and presence.
3. PRIORITIZE PRESENCE OVER PERFECTION
Often, we feel pressured to make Christmas “perfect.” But the beauty of Christmas is not in its perfection; it’s in its heart. Choose presence over perfection. This might look like sitting down with your kids to watch a favorite holiday movie instead of fussing over a Pinterest-worthy dinner. Or it might mean putting aside your phone to fully engage in a conversation with a friend. When we focus on being present, we give the gift of our undivided attention—and that’s priceless.
REFRAME YOUR EXPECTATIONS
Christmas is not about doing everything; it’s about remembering the One who has already done everything. The birth of Christ was a gift to a world that didn’t earn or deserve it—a reminder that grace is freely given. Instead of striving to meet impossible expectations, rest in the peace of knowing that God’s love is not contingent on what you accomplish this season.
A RESOURCE TO ENCOURAGE YOU
To help you embrace this perspective, I’m offering a free faith-based resource called the Heavenly Father Letters. These letters affirm your unique gifts and strengths while gently releasing you from the pressure to be all things to all people. Download the Father Letters here and let them inspire a season filled with grace and purpose.
A SEASON OF PEACE AND CONNECTION
This Christmas, let’s make space—space for what brings us joy, for the people who matter most, and for the quiet reflection that renews our spirits. By simplifying, listening to the right voices, and focusing on presence, we can create a season that feels meaningful and true to who we are. Here’s to a Christmas that’s not about doing more but about being more present—for yourself, for others, and for the One who made it all possible.
