If you are a new minimalist and are feeling unsure on how to handle the holiday season, here are some helpful tips on how to practice minimalism during the holidays.
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Finally, the holidays are just around the corner. We get to spend time with friends and family, eat our favorite holiday meals, and start thinking about gifts for Christmas!
There are so many misconceptions about minimalism and it can even have a negative connotation especially during the holidays. Minimalists can be seen as boring, cheap, and cold. However, minimalists are none of those things! At least most aren’t. You can have a cozy, meaningful, and intentional holiday season as a minimalist!
As a minimalist, gift giving is something that I try to be very intentional about. I don’t want to go over my budget or get anyone a gift jut because I feel like I have to. However, I also don’t want to be totally cheap (ahem, I prefer the word frugal) and be that person every year that never gifts anything to anyone. I’m sure a lot of you can probably relate.
In general, I try to apply a minimalist mindset to everything I do, including during the holiday season. This doesn’t just apply to gifts though, although that is a pretty big one. This is especially true if you have a lot of friends and family to consider. You can also apply a minimal mindset when it comes to decorating, food, and entertainment during the holidays.
Minimalism does NOT mean you don’t get to participate in these things. I love the holiday season and everything that comes with it. I’m sure you do too! As a minimalist, you can still give gifts, decorate your home, and bake all sorts of holiday goodies! You can still do all these things and still keep it minimal and frugal. Remember, minimalism is all about living with intention.
Here are some ways to practice minimalism during the holiday season.
1. You Don’t Have to Buy Everyone a Gift
The reality is, it is unlikely that you are close to everyone in your family. Personally, I like to make a list of people who I would actually like to buy gifts for. Usually, these are people who are important in my life and who I know well enough to know things they would actually like and use. I know many people like to get their co-workers and friends gifts, but you really don’t need to.
If you really have people you want to get gifts for, by all means do it! But all I’m saying is that if you feel obligated to, then just don’t. You also don’t have to buy anything too expensive. You can get creative and get simple gifts that you know that person will actually use. Check out my blog post on minimalist gift ideas!
When you are buying a gift for someone, really think about what they love and what their lifestyle is like. Is this item something you can see them using? Or is this just something trendy or something you would like for yourself? Asking yourself these questions can help you give intentionally instead of mindlessly. If you are looking for more tips on how to shop intentionally, here are some ways to shop like a minimalist.
2. Be Open About What You Need
I am usually pretty good at letting my family know that I actually don’t need anything for Christmas. At least nothing fancy. They know to get me things that I already use over and over again, such as my skincare products or a gift card for groceries.
Letting people know about your lifestyle is a great way to avoid being gifted things that you will later feel guilty about donating or throwing away. It saves them time and money, and you the guilt! Being gifted experiences is also fun too and a great way to avoid clutter!
In the end, it’s important to be kind and grateful no matter what you are gifted. I know it’s hard and stressful when you are gifted a bunch of things you won’t ever use and now you have to figure out a way to get rid of it. Just enjoy the holidays and figure it out later. Perhaps you can resell, re-gift, or donate some of those items.
3. Keep the Decorations Minimal
If you are interested in minimalism and what minimalism has to offer, then you probably won’t mind keeping your holiday decorations to a minimum. If you are someone that doesn’t get overwhelmed during the holidays, than these tips are obviously not for you. However, if the holidays do get overwhelming and you want to practice minimalism, it’s so important to keep decorations minimal!
Think about, putting up minimal holiday décor will make the decorating process so much easier. It will also be less stressful to clean up and put away! If you are someone that already doesn’t have a lot of holiday décor, it will save you tons of time and money!
Personally, I love putting up a small tree, stockings, and a few wreaths. That’s about it. No crazy blow up reindeer or santa clause in the yard or really anything outside. But all that is for you decide what is minimal for you and your preferences!
Once the holidays are over, clean up will be super easy and you won’t need tons of room to store your items!
4. Keep Activities Simple
Being intentional with your time and energy should be the priority when practice minimalism during the holidays. I certainly love all the activities that come with the holiday season. I love baking and creating fun holiday recipes, holiday parties, ice skating, and Christmas plays. However, sometimes it can feel like too much and like I’m spreading myself too thin. Especially when I’m still working during that time. Going out can also cause me to overspend if I’m not careful, making that time even more expensive.
Cooking and baking is one of my favorite things to do during the holidays. In the past however, I found myself trying to make too many different recipes and it would get so overwhelming, especially on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve/Day. Recently, I have stuck to a few simple recipes to make so that I don’t get stressed and actually enjoy more of the days!
Choose wisely what you actually want to participate in and what you would prefer to pass on. Take it slow, and enjoy the season! I know it can be especially hard when you have children, but ensuring that you are not overloading yourself will make all the difference and make the time more enjoyable for everyone!
The holiday season doesn’t have to be stressful! These tips will help you practice minimalism during the holidays so that you can have a slow, meaningful, stress-free holiday season. What are some of your favorite ways to reduce stress during the holidays and what are your favorite holiday activities?
