Give yourself the gift of self-care this Christmas
Tis the season…for many of us, that means the gift-giving season. I hope this year you will include yourself on the list, with the gift of self-care.
Of course you don’t need me to tell you how important it is to take care of yourself during this busy holiday season, but we could all use a little reminder occasionally. This time, let me be that reminder.
If you want to have the energy, health, and frame of mind to take care of all those things on your to-do list, you must first take care of yourself. This will look a little different for each of us, but here are four things I believe should be top-of-list for all of us.
Self-care holiday priorities
- Make time and space for adequate sleep. A lack of sleep leads to irritability, low energy, and poor decision making…not a good combination any time, but especially during the holidays. Of course, poor sleep also makes you more susceptible to illness. There’s nothing like getting sick to grind everything else to a halt. Make sleep your top priority, even if that means paring down your to-do list. It’s all about setting priorities, right? We can’t do everything, but we must do some things. Make sleep one of those non-negotiables.
- Fuel your body with nutritious food. With all the added demands on your time and the abundance of holiday treats, it’s easy to let your healthy eating habits slip. Just remember poor eating habits lead to low energy and feeling sluggish, as well as added mental stress and vulnerability to illness. So, yes, enjoy your favorite treats, just not at the expense of more nutrient-dense options. Keep plenty of your healthy easy-to-prepare favorites on hand.
- Keep moving. It might be tempting to slack off your usual physical activity with everything else on your calendar, but consider that keeping your routine can give you a sense of control and an endorphin boost that will make you more efficient throughout the rest of the day. If you choose not to keep to your usual workout routine, look for ways to incorporate more movement into your daily activities.
- Practice mindfulness. Whether your typical mindfulness activities include meditation, prayer, journaling, or something else, I implore you to make that practice one of your non-negotiables. Mindfulness practice is even more important during the holiday season, because it helps manage stress, allows you to be more present in the moment, and can counteract the potential for overwhelming feelings caused by the season’s busy schedule, social pressures, and high expectations. Being mindful can help you truly enjoy the holiday experience.
Your turn
Okay, I have stepped down from my soap box and am ready to hear what you think.
- What are your holiday self-care tips?
- What is your favorite holiday treat?
- What else is on your mind? Anything at all; I just love to hear from you.
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay
Hi Christie, I couldn’t get into your post through the #WWWhimsy linkup but anyway I found you! We all tend to get so caught up in the preparation that we can tire ourselves out. You’ve provided some great self care tips here so that we can all enjoy the preparation and the Festivities without feeling overwhelmed or stressed out. Thanks for linking up to Min’s #WWWhimsy and I wish you a beautiful Festive Season full of love and laughter. See you in 2025. Love Sue #TeamWWWhimsy
Thanks, as always, for being persistent in finding my blog, Sue. I hope that you are enjoying this festive season with minimal stress! Thanks again for hosting Min’s #WWWhimsy.
Christie I know you have had troubles linking up in the past and today was the same for me as Sue.
Howver, I just found you by looking you up on line.
I agree that this time of year can be fraught with issues of all kind.
Since we (maybe it was me who needed to!) reduced any kinds of ‘expectations’ around Christmas making getting together for a simple meal, things have been better
It’s hard with old expectations but better to make new realistic ones.
Take care and enjoy your festive season.
Denyse #WWWhimsy
Thanks, Denyse, for your persistence in finding my blog. It seems InLinkz no longer likes me…or my blog no longer likes InLinkz. I keep linking anyway, so you and others can at least see that I do have a blog post I want to share with the #WWWhimsy team. I agree that it is important to reevaluate our expectations periodically and make more realistic plans that fit in with the current time in our lives. I hope you are enjoying the festive season in a way that suits you best.
These are great self care tips Christie, which I agree with. I follow them all fairly well except for the sleeping. I’ve tried everything but a couple of hours a night is a good night. Myself care day would be a day spent with my feet up and a book and a dog. That would be perfect. this is what I do whenever I need to take care of myself, but rarely for a full day. Great advice in your post. I hope the Festive season is is all that you would wish it to be and that you have a lovely time with your family. Looking forward to catching up in 2025
It sounds like your lack of sleep isn’t for want of trying, Jen. I actually struggle with getting a solid night’s sleep as well and continue to tweak my routine, hoping to find the magic answer. I love your idea of a self-care day. I’m all for that as well. I agree it rarely lasts for a whole day, but even carving out an hour like that fills my cup. Wishing you and yours a merry Christmas and a happy festive season full of love and joy!
I couldn’t get to your post from the link up either but yay for Google! These are great tips! I find big gatherings really drain my batteries so this year we’re enjoying a quiet micro Christmas, just the two of us at home. I can’t wait.
Thanks for Googling me, Sammie. It seems InLinkz and my blog are not on speaking terms at the moment. Enjoy your quiet micro Christmas. It sounds like just what you need.
Hi Christie, many thanks for the reminder to take care of ourselves, it’s something we often overlook especially when family get togethers happen and we feel we need to do everything! Take care and enjoy!
Thanks for joining us for Min’s #WWWhimsy linkup and being such a supportive blogger. All the best for 2025 x
Deb #TeamWWWhimsy
Wishing you and yours all the best through the holiday season and into the new year!
Wonderful and very helpful reminders, Christie! I started tracking them in my bullet journal and that has been very helpful. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season.
-Soma
What a great idea, Soma. I’m a big tracker and list maker. Happy holidays to you and yours!