A year like no other of course finished with a Christmas like no other! With all its ups and downs, I discovered 5 unbelievably useful secrets about planning Christmas I learned in Lockdown. These reduced stress and increased joy, and are so amazing I will be taking them forward to use every year.
December 2020 was a yo-yo
Here in London, we were in Lockdown, then out of Lockdown. Allowed to see our family and then not at all.
As our plans were constantly changing, I found myself trying out a more flexible mindset this Christmas. My new strategy is prefacing every plan with the thought: Let’s see what happens closer to the time.
It helps a lot to have a ‘worst-case scenario’ plan in place, should we find ourselves at home, on our own (which ended up being the case!)
I learned to book reservations which had free cancellation policies. We thought hard about what new things we could do while at home. And we learned to count our blessings and roll with what was coming our way.
Secret #1: If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to be adaptive. And to have a Plan B (a Plan C helps too!).
How I usually get Christmas ‘done’
Most people say December is their favourite time of the year, and I’m as totally over-the-top jolly festive as they come. But it’s also completely overwhelming because I love it so much. I’m a very sentimental person, jumping into Christmas with my whole heart. I start by planning loads of memory-making activities for the kids, then searching for their Christmas pyjamas and matching jumpers.
The next task is to get our tree and sort out the boxes and boxes of precious ornaments, strings of fairy lights and the wall decorations we’ve collected over the years.
After that, I plan a festive food menu covering the week of Christmas Eve and New Year. I make sure to include all of our family favourites, plus the cookies and treats they love and remember, with just enough new things to keep it interesting.
In between all of those things, I usually shop like a madwoman! At the beginning, I spend a lot of time and care searching for thoughtful gifts and curating my lists. And then, weeks later, right in the thick of it, I find myself mentally exhausted and paralysed by indecision. I second-guess everything I have already bought, and no matter what, I feel like I’ve not done enough for the people I love.
Secret benefits of shopping in one day
Thankfully, this year felt a lot less overwhelming than previous years. I am working full-time from home. And we were on Lockdown (both mandated and self-imposed) for much of November and December.
When it was announced in early November that Lockdown was coming within days, it was like a panic button was being pushed. But instead of being frozen in fear, I used that feeling to knock out 75% of my gift list in one day. I stacked up work (working an extra-long two days), clearing my schedule for a one mid-week dash. I picked a local shopping centre and zipped over on the very last day that they were open.
It was mad and more than a little stressful. My bags were heaving and the clock was ticking. But it was also fun in a game-show kind of way. I enjoyed the challenge of getting as much as I could, with the fewest number of shops, in just this one day.
I usually deliberate for ages on every single person, brainstorming on their interests and searching high and low for inspiration and discounts. This time, I looked at what was available to me in TK Maxx/Smyths/Argos and matched a great quality item to someone I know would appreciate it.
A complete revelation
I learned that making a decision on the spot in a single day saved me weeks of work. And, surprisingly, the gifts I found were really lovely as well. I would recommend this one-day shopping idea most especially for the people you only have small gifts to buy for. Or for those that you know less well, such as teachers, neighbours, friend’s children, and older relatives.
The other half of the gift list I later tackled online. And with less people to focus on, it was much simpler than in previous years.
So with no social engagements, no commuting, and no shops to visit, I had more time for thinking and organising. And time to just breathe and enjoy the process.
Secret #2: Blitz the gifts. Make only 1 shopping trip for the bulk of your presents
Finding magic is harder than it looks (but it’s worth it)
If you have an Elf on the Shelf visit your house, I’m sure you sympathise with the organisation and time that goes into hosting them for December. This year our elves had their biggest challenge: the children were home-schooled most of the month, meaning the elves were often preparing their mischief late into the night.
My kids absolutely adore them, especially my youngest. He spends many weeks anticipating their arrival and rushing out of bed every morning to discover what they have left for him. He loves their letters.
This year, I changed my focus from the mild annoyance of their antics, to making the time for it. And really stopping to listen to my son reading the letters, mentally recording his face and his laughter. I don’t know for how much longer he will be entranced with magic of it all, so I genuinely feel privileged to have been allowed to savour it this Christmas. That made a refreshing change from fitting it in before breakfast, getting ready for work and rushing the boys to school.
What I missed while in Christmas Lockdown
So my thoughts as I’m reflecting on December 2020… Well, I missed more than anything the activities and parties we would usually have enjoyed with friends and family. Every year we have hot chocolate and shopping dates, ice-skating, cookie decorating with the children’s friends. We do Christmas Eve at the cinema, then enjoy by cocktails with friends at home. On Boxing Day we drive 150 miles away to be with our relatives. Last year at this time we even took an incredible trip to Disneyland Paris.
This year we had none of those things.
Instead, I drank in the smaller moments. I enjoyed the peace, even in isolation. Exhaustion and stress usually break me by mid-December. But this year, despite having to work all the way up to Christmas Eve, I found I had more time.
We piled on the couch and watched several films. We baked cupcakes, had more than a few games nights, and wrapped presents together. For the first time, we visited a Christmas tree farm, and enjoyed watching a tutorial and learning to draw a Christmas penguin.
The kids painted ornaments that we mailed to Grandma. I managed to get all my parcels to the post office, with plenty of time before Christmas, for the first time ever! We took long walks in the forest together. I saw my friends a few times on video chat with a cocktail in hand.
What I learned is that family activities are fabulous, but not all of them need to be the most-amazing-thing-we’ve-ever-done.
Secret #3: Savour the smaller moments and plan less 5-star activities
..and what I’ll continue to do differently at Christmas when we’re not in Lockdown!
What I’m taking from my experience of 2020 going forward is to let things slide a little bit. All the magic doesn’t strictly need to happen at the same time.
If tasks are too early or if they are last minute, just embrace it. I found out I enjoy writing Christmas cards in early November. I’ll also continue to drop most of my presents early and mail presents early. Our Christmas lights didn’t go on the windows until the 23rd of December, and it was fine! We don’t have to see every friend and family member in December because November and January are OK too.
Spreading tasks across November and December slowed down the pace, but of course, it’s a tricky balance. Being so excited for Christmas, you want your house to perfectly sparkle from the get-go. And you want to feel all the magic at Christmas and not too early or it’s not as special. But letting some of it go, allows you to enjoy more of that sparkle for yourself.
Secret #4: Let things slide, like seeing everyone at the same time or getting the lights up for the whole of December. Get your presents out early, the rest can wait
Accept what I can’t change
Most of all, I’ve learned to accept my own nature. Yes, I’m over-the-top-nostalgic, and no amount of forward-planning will make Christmas completely effortless for me. And yes, I will always worry my gifts aren’t good enough whether I bought them 3 months or 3 hours ahead of time. But that’s ok because the absolute joy and happiness in my heart for the Christmas season vastly out-weighs the moments of feeling tired or uncomfortable. Maybe the things that are hard work, also make the most lasting impact.
And I’ve discovered that come Christmas Eve, if all we have is the people we live with, and a gingerbread house to make, then we will still have the most magical time ever.
Secret #5: Accept that things won’t be perfect. Christmas will always take effort, but that’s what makes it so memorable
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