20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season

In this 237th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and Tom discuss 20 Simple Steps for a Better Holiday Season. By using these 20 Simple Steps, we cannot guarantee that you will have a joyous and calm holiday season, but we can definitely say that you will be lined up for success since you are ready mentally and have prepared for what is coming.

The holidays can be stressful….

Gatherings and obligations wash over us like the raging gales of November, and if we are not careful and do not plan, we can be dragged down the dark and cold depths like the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. The Gales of November and December are starting to pick up; can you feel them?

It doesn’t have to be that way.

It shouldn’t be that way.

How can we do better and be better to avoid these storms during the holidays?

The answer is found by following the advice from my Assistant Scoutmaster days: “Planning and being prepared.” As I look back on what was successful during the holidays (and especially at what wasn’t), it really comes down to having a plan and executing. It also comes back to being able to laugh, go with flow and not getting wrapped around the axle of agendas, poor planning and endless guilt trips. You do that by not taking yourself too seriously and not having a plan.

We have 20 simple steps, but you never know, we might come up with a few more along the way. I am super excited to talk about Step 16: Establish New Traditions.

Fortunately, We have 20 Simple Steps for A Better Holiday Season

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There are many ways to approach the holidays, and our 20 Simple Steps for a Better Holiday Season isn’t the definitive list and doesn’t include everything. You may have your own steps and methods, and we would love to hear them. Please email us your ideas at realsmallscalelife@gmail.com, and we will discuss them in a future show around Christmas.

What is interesting is that I discussed some of these way back in 2018. I recorded and released some of these tips in the episode titled Happy Thanksgiving 2018! This episode is different because Adam and I go intp a lot more detail and stories about these 20 Simple Steps for a Better Holiday Season, and I really do like this list because we have done and do all of them.

The list below contains 20 Simple Steps for a Better Holiday Season along with some links and commentary from our experience:

1. Create a Budget

Set a holiday spending limit to avoid financial stress and stick to it.
Stress and anger from spending too much money for the holidays are real. I know from experience: I have had that cold sweat and horrible realization that we had too many bills and too much month in January to cover. It wasn’t fun, and we really had to work at keeping spending in check so that we could make it. Budgeting is the key, and we have budgeting tools here at Small Scale Life that can help you. One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to save all year for the holiday. For example, you can save $100 per month and have $1200 in your account when December rolls around. You also have money to start buying gifts in the summer; just don’t forget that you purchased them!
Here at Small Scale Life, Julie and I created budgeting tools for you and discussed budgeting in an episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast. It is no secret that we have worked through hard times in our past 30 years of marriage, and the way forward is to be intentional with our money. We need to tell it where it is going instead of wondering where it went! Budgeting is the solution to that problem.

2. Make a List of Priorities

Determine what’s most important to you during the season: family, relaxation, or giving back.
We are all pulled in a lot of different directions during the holiday season. We cannot go to every event and do ALL the things: we need to make decisions about where our finite resources are going. Talk to your significant other or a close friend. As always, develop and plan and execute accordingly. By not having a plan, you are almost guaranteeing to end the season in frustration, disappointed with how everything turned out and burned out.

3. Start Early

Begin planning, shopping, and organizing well in advance to avoid last-minute chaos.
Julie is a great planner, and she has already started shopping. Guys like me tend to wait for the last minute, and that is a mistake. Avoid the last minute rush to the store and the inevitable white elephant gift. Plan ahead and make a list of people that are getting a list. Be thoughtful and take advantage of the early sales! Don’t be THAT last minute person!

4. Declutter Your Home

Clear out unnecessary items before the holidays to create a calm, welcoming space.
Since 2018, Julie and I have comnbined four or five households into one. We are minimalists, so we understand that you cannot keep everything. Julie and I talked about How to Declutter to Make a Simple and Intentional Life in April 2018, and the principles and concepts still apply. Go through your house and declutter by sorting your things into four bins: Keep, Throw, Give Away, and Undecided. For the Undecided bin, put a time limit on it. If you haven’t made a decision or used anything in that bin, it is time for it to go to the trash or to be donated. Of course, you might have questions about Decluttering, and you might find answers in a second podcast episode Julie and I recorded in November 2018.

5. Plan Your Meals

Organize your holiday meals ahead of time, including a shopping list and cooking schedule.
Planning is definitely Julie’s favorite and forte, and we literally just sat down and worked out our plan for the charcuterie board, Thanksgiving dinner and breakfast on Friday after Thanksgiving. The plan feeds into our shopping list, and after confirming what is in our pantry, refrigerators and freezers, we can go ahead and get our shopping lists together. You are lost without a plan, and you will make A LOT more of unplanned trips to the grocery store and may run out of the essentials during the event. Don’t be like that: make a plan, develop your shopping list and shop accordingly.

6. Set Realistic Expectations

Accept that things may not go perfectly—embrace the imperfections and focus on the enjoyment.
As I discussed in the podcast episode, we have learned to set the bar VERY low with my family. Like, we literally have no expectations. If the bar is that low, then it is really difficult to be disappointed with how events turn out. Often the problem is that we have this grand vision and idea of how it is supposed to look, feel and work out. Reality fails to meet this lofty expectation, and disappointment sets in. Remember: set the bar low and just go with the flow. We laugh at Clark Griswold’s disasters in the movie “Christmas Vacation,” but often we are creating our own disasters on a smaller scale. As friends told me once: “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.”

7. Delegate Tasks

Share the responsibilities—whether it’s shopping, cooking, or decorating—with others to lighten your load.
As I grow older, I see the wisdom in our ancestors and their beliefs in a “gift for a gift.” A gift does not need to be trinket or a thing: it can be service or pitching in on the meal or clean up. For our Thanksgiving meal, our friends are bringing roasted potatoes and others are bringing dessert. It is going to be great. If you don’t know what to bring, try a nice bottle of wine. That always goes over well!

8. Send Early Holiday Cards

Plan to send out cards early to avoid the rush and get them to loved ones on time.
While Adam is not a big fan of holiday cards, we find that it is a great way to update folks on what is happening with our family. It also creates a gift for a gift exchange as we tend to get cards from family and friends as we send them out.

9. Simplify Gift-Giving

Choose thoughtful, meaningful gifts or consider experiential gifts instead of material ones.
This….all of this. We have moved away from giving trinkets and stuff to others and have focused on giving experiences. Trinkets and stuff tend to be discarded over time, but memories of fun events and trips mean everything. You can create lasting memories by giving experiences. Put some thoughts into it and look around. You never know what cool things are happening locally!

10. Create a Holiday Playlist

Curate a playlist of your favorite festive music to set the mood for the season.
Music is medicine. Music is life. We love playing music here when we work, cook, or clean up. I had to chuckle when Julie’s sister Karen was here this fall and said that I sang quite a bit when I worked. I didn’t think I did, but I am happy to admit that I do. Notice that there are silly songs after Small Scale Life episodes. Now, I do not suggest a playlist of me singing silly songs, I do recommend playing music in the background as you get your house ready, as you entertain and as you clean up. It makes everything easier, and our ancestors sang all the time. Their songs have been forgotten, but we can still sing and listen to music!

11. Practice Self-Care

Prioritize your well-being by getting enough rest, eating healthy, and making time for relaxation.
As we have learned more about nutrition, yoga and mediation, we have learned about the importance of self-care. Do what you need to do to protect your peace. Say no, take a sauna or cold plunge, sleep in and take some time off to rest. Yes this season is about connecting to family, friends and the community, but it is also a time for your journey of self-discovery. By practicing self-care, you can begin to heal your mind, body and soul. Take the time and dig deep: you might find some things to let go and leave behind. You also might find some things you forget that you need to take along with you on your journey.

12. Be Present

Focus on enjoying each moment with loved ones rather than stressing about everything else.
In this age, so many of us are distracted by escapes of all kinds: television, phones, alcohol, obligations, etc. Put the phone away and turn the television off. Pay attention; engage in the conversation. You might hear a cool story or two along the way.

13. Limit Social Commitments

Say no to events or activities that don’t align with your priorities to avoid overbooking.
It’s ok to say “no” and not join EVERY event or party our there. We run and run and run and run, only to collapse at the end of the season. Practice a “less is more” strategy, and always have a Plan B if something doesn’t work out and have an exit plan if someone is getting heated or uncomfortable.

14. Organize Your Holiday Decor

Keep decorations simple and easy to put up and take down, focusing on creating a cozy atmosphere.
Julie is the Christmas Queen, and she has a lot of decorations! We keep the ornaments safe in special ornament boxes. After all, each ornament has a memory associated with it, and those a precious to us especially after losing Danny. In fact, this is the first time since 2021 that we have pulled out these decorations: it was too painful to see theme after Danny passed away. The winds are changing, and it was time to bring the ornaments out. It is like greeting old friends, and we are very careful to keep our decorations organized and wrapped up. It makes packing and decorating the trees easier too!

15. Avoid Perfectionism

Don’t strive for a “picture-perfect” holiday. Embrace the mess and focus on fun.
Perfect is enemy of the good. We get hung up on the bark on the tree in front of the forest. Stop doing that and enjoy the moment. No one will remember the dust bunny in the corner, but they will remember how cranky you were if you are fretting over things, details, not being perfect. Let go and go with the flow.

16. Establish Traditions

Whether it’s baking cookies or watching a holiday movie, establish simple traditions that bring joy.
Admittedly, this is paritcular sore subject with me. For some reasons, the traditions passed down by my family were discarded in the ash heap of time. While I have dwelled on that for years, I see now that it is time for establishing new traditions. It is time to stop wandering the wasteland of loss and begin to build new. Adam was right that there are a lot of resources and ideas out there, and I need to stop mourning what I never knew and move forward….building back better actually applies in this case!

17. Give Back

Volunteer or donate to a cause that’s meaningful to you to spread holiday cheer beyond your home.
Giving back to your community, especially to those in need who may be housebound really does make a difference. Make a cash donation, deliver some food, shovel a driveway, help a stranger in need, or do some random act of kindness like paying forward for someone’s coffee is a great way to help your commuity and neighbors.

18. Stay Active

Stay physically active during the holiday season to maintain your energy and reduce stress.
Go for a walk, hot the gym, find a pool and swim some laps…do some yoga. Staying active will keep some pounds off your waistline. Trust me: we’ll get back to the Whole30 in the near future.

19. Simplify Travel Plans

If traveling, plan early, and pack light to minimize the stress of getting from one place to another.
Complicated plans tend to end up in disaster. Weather, computer glitches and a host of other issues can keep you from your destination when it counts, especially this time of year. Have you seen the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles?” That movie is all about simple travel plans going wrong, so you can imagine how many chances your complicated travel plans have for failure! Keep it simple!

20. Reflect and Recharge

After the holidays, take a moment to reflect on the season, recharge, and prepare for the new year.
Reflecting and recharging is essential after this busy holiday season. I continue to call these dark days and months “The Journey Within” as we can take this time to think about what is working and what isn’t working. Keep a journal; write these thoughts down. If you need a journal, let me know. I have extra journals that you could use to track your thoughts, reflect on life and develop plans for the future. If you would like a journal, send me an email at realsmallscalelife@gmail.com.

Links

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When he isn’t at a Farmer’s Market or hanging out with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids, Adam can be found at the following locations:

Other Related Shows

Adam has been a guest on the Small Scale Life Podcast a number of times. Here is a quick list of shows where he has been the guest or cohost:

In Closing….

From the North to the South
From the East to the West and
Everywhere in between.

May the gods, spirits and folk
Be blessed at this place.
May we heal the land and
Protect the soil, animals and plants.
May we live in strength and love.

Leading the Way
As we learn, do grow and
Be a little better everyday!

This is Tom from the Small Scale Life Podcast. Have a great week! We’ll be back soon with another show. In the meantime, stay safe and take care everybody!

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Special Thanks

For Small Scale Life Podcasts, I would like to thank Sean at Osi and the Jupiter for the intro song "Harvest." Sean wrote this specifically for us, and I really enjoy all of his work. You can find more Osi and the Jupiter at their Bandcamp site: https://osifolk.bandcamp.com/

I would also like to thank Austin Quinn at Vlog Vibes for the intro and outro music. For more information abut Austin and Vlog Vibes, please see the Vlog Vibes YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY80LeqtJf-YBzJy2TWKpDw

20 Simple Steps for Better Holiday Season

The holidays can be stressful….