Creating Christmas Magic (When you just don’t feel it)
How do you put the spark back into your Christmas when you’re just not feeling it? As a planner and interior decorator I love being the “holiday magic maker” in our family. But that role can come with a lot of stress and pressure to create the ultimate Christmas experience. Making the holiday season special is especially difficult when you’re feeling a sense of loneliness or loss during this time of year. True joy at Christmas is not manufactured or store bought. Joy comes from real, heartfelt moments shared with the people we love. To make the most of your holiday season and keep things simple, create happy memories by starting a new tradition this year with The Advent Calendar.
Instead of organizing an activity for each of the 12 (or 25) days leading up to Christmas, I began the tradition of planning 4 fun activities my family would enjoy for each weekend leading up to Christmas. Like the 4 candles on the Advent wreath. You can also choose an activity for the weekend after Christmas. Simple planning and intentional activities are the real magic makers behind the Christmas experience!
This makes it easy to focus on doing things that mean the most to your family. For example, this year I arranged for us to attend local events we haven’t been to in previous years but wanted to attend. Two of our weekend family activities involve things that we value, like helping others in need and spending quality time at home doing a fun activity together.
Some ideas to create your own meaningful Advent Calendar:
Week 1: Experience– I love experiencing the magic of Christmas in all its grandeur, so I usually like to plan a special event for my family to attend. We’ve also planned short weekend getaways! Last year we took a trip to Franklin, TN.
Week 2: Give – Donate something to people in need in your community or offer your time and volunteer somewhere as a family. Maybe there’s someone you know who is going through something tough this holiday. Surprise them with a special gift.
Week 3: Celebrate Local– Annual tree lighting shows, movies on the lawn, holiday markets, or Christmas strolls are free and easy, just to list a few.
Week 4: Home Activity– Plan a fun activity or craft you know you’re family will enjoy at home (ex.making a gingerbread house or a holiday themed family game night)
I created our Advent Calendar activity cards using Canva. You can also just use Google drive to type and print yours out. The pouches are from my local Dollar store.
Home Styling Tip: Put it on display! Give your family something to look forward to and admire by hanging your Advent Calendar activities in a beautiful way.
