The perfect Christmas doesn't exist - and that's the best news you'll hear today.
We put so much pressure on ourselves at Christmas, don't we? The perfect gifts. The perfect dinner. The perfect family gathering. We spend time we don't have and money that's harder and harder to come by, especially with prices the way they are now. We give and give and give until we're exhausted.
And if we're honest, sometimes Christmas doesn't feel magical at all. Sometimes it feels lonely. Sometimes it feels overwhelming. Sometimes it feels like everyone else has figured out how to do it right, and we're the only ones struggling.
If that's where you are today - whether you're alone, or surrounded by people but still feeling alone - I want you to know something: You are not alone in feeling this way. And there is nothing wrong with you.
Today, I want to give you permission to do Christmas differently. Permission to let go of perfect. Permission to be still. Permission to take care of yourself.
Because what if Christmas wasn't about all the doing? What if it were about simply being?
Why the Holidays Feel so Overwhelming
Here's the challenge we're facing: We've convinced ourselves that our worth on Christmas Day is measured by what we do, what we give, and how well we perform.
We scroll through social media and see everyone else's perfect moments - the beautifully wrapped gifts, the spotless homes, the smiling families - and we compare our messy reality to their highlight reel. And we don't even know whether what we're seeing is real or not.
We've forgotten that Christmas is supposed to be about reflection. About being present in the moment. About rest.
Instead, we've made it about constant giving - giving our time, our money, our energy - until there's nothing left for ourselves.
And if you're alone this Christmas? The pressure is even worse. Because somehow we've decided that being alone means something is wrong with you. That you've failed at Christmas.
But what if none of that is true?
How I'm Protecting My Inner Peace This Holiday Season
This year, I'm slowing Christmas down.
I've had a year of constant betrayal - with family, with friends, even in my volunteer work. And I'm not going to pretend I'm fine. I'm emotionally exhausted. Not defeated - but drained.
So I'm using this holiday season differently. I'm reflecting on this past year with self-awareness, asking myself: What can I change to protect my inner peace? How do I keep my nervous system from burning out?
Permission I'm Giving Myself This Holiday Season:
I'm not constantly scrolling on TikTok, comparing myself to others.
I'm watching goofy romantic Christmas movies where you know exactly how it ends - just letting my mind wander.
I'm getting outside in nature to feel the wind on my face, the ground beneath me, and to move my body.
I'm curling up with a good book because I deserve that time for myself.
I'm not cooking a turkey dinner with all the fixings this year. I'm spending that time relaxing and rejuvenating instead.
I'm not bending myself backwards to give gifts that aren't received with the same energy they're given with.
Maybe two cups of coffee in the morning with Baileys.
Staying in my PJs all day just because I can.
And most importantly? Just being quiet. Because I'm beginning to love who I am and enjoy my own company.
How to Model Self-Care for Your Kids During the Holidays
As parents, we model the family traditions we learned from our own childhood. The hustle and bustle. The sides that go with the turkey - or maybe it was ham. The Christmas Eve tradition of opening one present, which was usually ugly Christmas pajamas.
But let me ask you this: Is that what YOU wanted as a kid? Or did you want something different?
Because I believe kids want time with their parents - not all the expensive gifts, not the elaborate dinners.
They want you to build snowmen with them. Go tobogganing. Whatever you can do where you live, they want YOU there, fully present.
They want to play games with you. And we've lost that. But playing games teaches our kids valuable lessons - how to take turns, how to win graciously, how to lose with dignity, how to laugh together.
So this Christmas, what if you modelled something different? What if you showed them that it's okay to slow down? That rest isn't lazy - it's necessary. That means saying no to things that drain you, and saying yes to things that matter.
Let them see you choosing peace. Let them see you enjoying your own company. Let them see you taking care of yourself.
Because that's the greatest gift you can give them - showing them how to protect their own peace as they grow up.
My Christmas Wish for You
So here's my Christmas wish for you today:
I wish you peace wherever you are right now. Whether you're alone or with people. Whether this day feels joyful or heavy. Whether you're celebrating or just surviving.
I wish you permission - permission to let go of perfect, permission to rest, permission to choose yourself.
I wish you stillness. Because when we take the time to be still, the answers always come to us. But we have to take the time to be still.
And most of all, I wish you the knowledge that you are not alone. Even in your loneliest moments, others are feeling exactly what you're feeling. And this feeling - as hard as it is right now - is temporary. Seasons change. Life shifts. Better days are coming.
You are worthy of love and belonging exactly as you are, right now, in this moment. Your worth isn't measured by what you give, what you do, or who's around your table today.
So if you can, take that gentle walk outside. Feel the wind on your face. Turn off the scrolling. Be quiet with yourself. Do one small, kind thing just for you.
You matter. You are enough.
"Remember, change begins with ourselves.
Put your knowledge into action and reach your full potential ."
Wishing you heartfelt warmth and support on your personal journey!
Kate/Gramma Kate