Mindful Christmas Time

 

We are in the homestretch of school before break. We are getting ready to spend time away from work and hopefully enjoy time to rest and recharge. 

For some this season is stressful. The hustle and bustle. The gift buying. The decorating. The baking. The cooking. The cleaning for family. Family. 

For some this season is magical. The lights. The music. The decorations. The treats. The presents. The time with family.

For some this season is mixed. Stressful but also beautiful. We love seeing family. We love seeing family go home.

No matter if you love it or could leave it, you can make it more mindful.

A quick Google regarding how to make Christmas mindful will bring up several lists, tips, and ideas. I have taken the time to read many of them for you and created my own list of the best of the best ideas.

Have Yourself A Mindful Little Christmas (Holiday...Winter...etc...) 

1. Presences not Presents. Be with the ones you are with. Give them the gift of your time and attention. There is nothing worse than looking around a family/friend gathering and seeing everyone on a screen and not interacting. Teach the children in your life to unplug the device and plug into the family.

2. Start with a Stretch. Movement in the morning helps to wake the body. Stretching or an activity such as yoga helps to improve blood flow, posture, and our overall health and mood. YouTube is a great resource. The app FitOn has a lot of free videos that can help you create a morning movement routine. When holiday stress hits combat it with a good stretch.

3. See the Light and Explore Nature. After a good morning stretch take a few minutes to step outside. Research shows that getting morning light helps to balance our circadian rhythm and improve our sleep habits. There has also been some research related to morning sunlight and healthy eating habits. Morning light may be helping balance hormones. Scientists are finding that morning light helps improve hormones related to hunger and satiety (that feeling of being full). If you want to make sure you don't overeat over the holidays try taking a morning walk in the light. 

A walk outside is also a very mindful experience as you connect with the nature around you. This time of year might not be blooming with color and vibrancy but it does give us beauty. Snow glimmers, ice glitters, pine trees show us it is possible to stand tall and full through winter. Animals still scurry. And sometimes, if you catch the right time of day, you can stand still in the peace and quiet of feel the calm.

4. Hydration (like you've never thought about it before....this was a new to me!) We all know the benefits of hydration. We are doing our minds and bodies the absolute best when we ensure we are properly hydrated. But if we are honest, hydration can be a chore, boring, and the mundane. What if you set a goal with your hydration? With every cup of water you finish you take a deep breath in and sit silently taking in your surroundings. Think of a gratitude and sit with yourself. I loved this idea. Make hydration a goal for drinking water and for also taking a mindful moment of peace, calm, and gratitude.

5. Mindfully Make and Eat a Meal. Now that we have hydrated in a mindful way lets take some time to ensure our eating is not done with such gusto that we do not savor or enjoy the meal and the moment. Food can be a large part of the holiday season for many of us. In my family we start the holiday season making sugar cookies. Years ago I started a tradition of taking my grandmother's cinnamon roll recipe and making them on Christmas Eve and having them ready to bake and eat Christmas morning. I use this experience to connect to my family; those who have passed and those who I teach to bake now. Making food for the holidays can be stressful and daunting. Then everyone eats fast and often too much. Take time to enjoy the process. Start a tradition. And then take small bites and slowly eat. Taste the flavors. Savor the smells. Sit in the moment and enjoy.

6. Plan it Out. Keep a Routine. You may not want to keep that 5:00am alarm but try not to sleep until noon. Keep a similar routine helps our bodies stay happy and healthy. Research shows that we should not stray far from our wake-sleep routine. Staying within an hour or two of your normal sleep-wake schedule is good for you mental and physical health. It helps create predictability and consistency in your brain. It helps your body stay on a schedule throughout the day and creates reliability. When we sleep better we think better. With a clear mind we can create a plan for our holiday craziness. Plan ahead when and where you would like to go for the holidays. And if you don't want to plan with someone....

7. Let It Go.  You do not have to see everyone. You do not have to go everywhere. If you made a 'to-do' list and its overwhelming, pick one or two things to let go. If you just cannot make another batch of cookies (no matter how much your husband and children beg) do not feel guilty. Let it go. You do not have have to say yes. In fact, you can...

8. Say No. No I will not be making shortbread cookies, sugar cookies, snowball cookies, peanut butter cookies with the chocolate kiss in the middle. Yes this is an actual list of requested cookies from someone in my house. He will not be getting them all. I will say no. No we will not be opening the all of the gifts on Christmas Eve when grandma and grandpa come. We will only open the gifts from them. This again was a request in my house. That little cutie will learn patience. And I will continue to practice my mindful, 'No'. No helps us prioritize needs and wants. No helps us take time for self care and rest. Give 'No' a try.

9. Build the Happy Memories and make it Meaningful. I know people who do not care for the holiday season. It is mainly due to the commercialism, the money spending, and the feeling you have to buy everything for everyone. I love Christmas. I love the lights. I love the music. I love giving gifts. I love making cookies with my family. My family looks forward to sugar cookie day every December. I love making my grandma's cinnamon rolls. My older sisters have memories of baking with our grandma. I missed out so this is my way of making a memory connected to her. I also use baking to connect to my children and create memories with them. As I shared, years and years ago I asked my mom to teach me my grandma's recipe. I asked to make them for Christmas. This started a tradition of making them every Christmas in our home. Now that we are all grown and out of our parents home my siblings and I still make cinnamon rolls every Christmas morning. Make a memory to share. Make the season meaningful. Start a tradition of decorating a tree while listening to Christmas music and sipping hot cocoa. Ask your family if they want to drive around and look at lights. If we are ready early in the morning we take the long way around our neighborhood and look at Christmas lights. Leila and I love starting our mornings with some Christmas cheer. When we find the meaning and create the memory our minds and bodies find a sense of safety and calm.

10. Rest and Recharge. When all is said and done, relax. Clean up and then sit down. You need to rest. Do not start another to-do list. Do not start a new project. Relax. Turn on your favorite movie. Turn on a really good song. Pop some popcorn. Grab the chocolate. Read a book. Sit in silence. What recharges you? How do you get the best rest? Find your way and practice it. You need it. You deserve it. Do it.