The holidays are officially in full swing and chances are, you’re already feeling the pressures of the season. Perhaps you’re busy buying gifts for loved ones, trimming your house with cheer, and planning menus for the events ahead. Or perhaps you’re feeling frozen in place as the world takes on the joy of the holidays and you can’t quite grasp the spirit. The next four weeks may be crammed with social engagements or perhaps they’ll be lonelier than usual. The holidays of 2021 will look very different for a lot of people. With the loss of the last 20 months and the acclimation of life going a little bit back to normal, there are so many adjustments to make. It’s hard to imagine Christmas looking like the Christmas of 2019 and maybe for you, that’s impossible. With a new era in life, it’s important to observe and grieve the past as well as make new traditions to enrich and celebrate the holidays. Whether you have experienced the loss of a loved one or simply need to make room for new chapter in life, now is the time to explore what the holidays mean to you.

Festivities Freshened

Holiday decor is deeply personal to many people. The ornaments and wreaths, stockings and nativities have witnessed countless holidays with your family. They herald the season as soon as they’re set around your home and they bring a flood of memories with their nostalgia. If this holiday is different for you, it may be time to take inventory of your trimmings and determine if something needs to be freshened up. Can your tree use a new color scheme? Consider hanging all of your most precious, personal ornaments but changing out any glass balls with a bright new hue. Add new garland and perhaps an updated tree topper. Switch out the lights you typically put on your tree. Purchase a new wreath for your front door for some fresh curb appeal. Or just simplify what you have. Only put out the dearest items that will help you hold the holidays close without overwhelming you with more “things”. Have a friend help you decorate and share a meal to commemorate the hanging of the greens.

A New Soundtrack

Music is so much a part of our holiday experience. Don’t neglect your traditional favorites...Bing, Barbara, and Andy...but find something new to tune into as well. Try an evening at the symphony or at a church Christmas chorale. Grab tickets to a Christmas concert you’ve never been to before or purchase a new holiday pop album. Set your new memories to something that sounds different and redefine what your season sounds like moving forward.

Rethink the Day

If your holidays are going to look different this year, plan ahead to make the best of them. How can you enjoy the differences? Take time to pray before the day begins and give yourself time to adjust to new gatherings. Try not hosting the big events this year so that you can leave social engagements when you feel ready. If the holidays have always felt exhausting and hectic, work to keep space in your schedule and get plenty of rest. Don’t feel guilt when you have to step away or miss an event. Rethink what the holidays mean to you spiritually and emotionally and commit to observing those importances alone or in community. Don’t find yourself without a plan unless planless is what you’re hoping for. 

Try to see this holiday as a new beginning. We all have a new opportunity to reassess what the season means to us this year, as we regather and reprioritize our celebrations. Whether you’re jumping right back into the old traditions or creating some new ones, hold your loved ones close and find plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks.