Mama, of all the seasons of the year where you should feel happy, light, peaceful and rested…it should be the holiday season. Our society has manufactured the idea of hustle + bustle, has told us it’s what true holiday spirit looks like, that our kids will grow up hating us and have to go to therapy if we don’t “do Santa” or bake 6 different kinds of cookies or wear ourselves out trying to find the perfect gifts. That’s just not true.
This should be a season of tuning in to the beauty right in front of us. A season of caring for ourselves and our dear ones and extending kindness to those in need. A season of soaking up the simple moments which usually end up being the most profound. This should be a season of making memories: of home, a crackling fire, Christmas stories read aloud, Bing Crosby serenading, and the story of Jesus’ birth lighting the way once again into a brand new year.
Perhaps even more so in 2020 than any other year before: We need peace, we need simplicity, we need quieted hearts, we need rest. We’ve already told our kiddos that this Christmas is going to be a simple, quiet one. No big to-do’s, no crazy happenings, just us – family – soaking up the beauty of the season. We’ve even called a toy moratorium. Except for a few things they need, a few books and learning resources, we’re not expending a lot of time or money on gift giving this year. The season itself and the depth of what it really means – Jesus, Emmanuel, Come to Live Among Us – is what we want to shine out above all else. And, you know what? They complained briefly the first time we mentioned our plan. The next time, not a peep. I think they were starting to understand. We keep repeating our plan periodically and I think I even spotted a bit of relief in their faces this last time. I know I feel relief.
Remember, mama, we have a choice. We have a lot more control over how the holiday season plays out (and our lives) then we often like to admit. Also, there’s this: true self-care – the kind that is consistent, tangible and life-changing – doesn’t have to cost any money or require large chunks of time. It doesn’t even mean you have to leave your house.
Let’s dive into my top 5 tips for caring for yourself this holiday season…
No.1 Get your sleep.
Sleep changes everything. Any mama knows this is true. It has to be a non-negotiable. Our bodies need 7.5-9 solid hours of sleep every night. On days we’re super active, we might even need a 20-30 minute nap mid-afternoon. Listen to your body. Follow it’s lead. Whatever needs to happen for you to get rest, make it happen.
- Set a firm bed time + wake time for the kiddos (they need their rest, too!).
- Work together with your husband to make sure you’re both supporting each other in getting rest.
- Aim to be in bed a full hour earlier than you want to go to sleep. Read, relax, do a brain dump, unwind and turn out those lights on time.
- Limit caffeine after noon and don’t drink alcohol or eat a heavy meal right before bed.
- Use black out blinds or an eye mask to block out light.
- Keep your bedroom cool for sleeping.
- Use white noise or ear plugs to make sure you’re not disturbed (especially if you go to bed before your husband).
A note to mamas with young babies: The first two years with each kiddo can totally be rough, I get it completely. If it helps, don’t look at the quantity of sleep as much as the quality of sleep in those seasons. Work to optimize the sleep you do get. Example: if you can get your longer stretch of sleep each night from 10-2am that’s when our bodies do a majority of the detoxing/restoring/resetting and that will definitely optimize your sleep.
Also, check out Taking Cara Babies if you haven’t already. I’m not getting paid to share about her, but I would pay any amount of money to sleep well in the early months [years!] with my babies. Cara also has so much good information on her blog and IG page for free. Check her out! I’m taking her First Five Months course in preparation for our fourth baby’s arrival.
No.2 Make a daily #soulmindbodyselfcare appointment with yourself.
This means every single day you’re going to spend at least 10 minutes caring for your soul, mind or body. Put it on your calendar, set a reminder, make it happen. If you can give more time, then set aside more time. Go, mama! If you need to spread out the time in smaller chunks over the course of the day, then do that. Whatever works best with your schedule, whatever best meets your needs.
Here are some ideas for your time each day:
- Take a detox bath.
- Make a warm drink + sip it slowly (get my favorite recipes HERE).
- Spend some time goal setting + intention setting for the new year.
- Paint your nails.
- Move your body – yoga, pilates, HIIT, go for a walk.
- Do a brain dump.
- Work on a passion project.
- Declutter one space in your home.
- Hydrate with a tall glass of water.
No.3 Drink a daily green smoothie.
There’s bound to be more sugar floating around during the holiday season. And it’s sometimes difficult to control what you eat and where due to family gatherings and holiday events. But if you start the day out right with a green smoothie (or even sub it for lunch or your afternoon pick-me-up), your body will thank you.
I swear by a daily green smoothie to keep illness at bay. This Chocolate Cherry Smoothie recipe is one of my favorites and this Beet-licious Smoothie is another on rotation over here. If neither of those strike a cord, maybe give my Sunshine Smoothie a try. It’s packed full of nutrients that will give your mind, body (and immune system!) a boost.
For more on winter wellness, check out my blog post and podcast episode all about why/how/what I stock to support our immune systems through the colder months.
No.4 Carve out quiet time before the day begins.
I know this is easier said than done, but it’s a lifesaver. Even just having 10 minutes to myself, to start the day on my own terms, makes a huge difference in how the rest of the day goes.
This is my typical morning routine right now:
I wake up around 7am, I do my tongue scraping/teeth brushing, splash cold water on my face and use the restroom. Then I apply my favorite face oil or serum (right now it’s this one – bonus: it smells like Christmas) and hop back in bed to do my gua sha routine (if you don’t know what gua sha is, here’s a great tutorial).
Then I dive into my quiet time. Right now I’m reading through the Psalms using a journal Bible. Then I pray through my list of what I call “affirmational prayers” – statements of faith in prayer form. Then I’ll look over my to-do list for the day, check email quickly, reply to any texts and then throw on my slippers and a cozy sweater and make my way out to the kitchen to start the day.
All of that might take me 20 minutes, but I am much more ready to jump into the fray when I’ve had some peaceful moments to myself first. I have a lot more patience and joy and our day just flows better.
Side note for mamas who have early wakers like I do: Don’t be afraid to set boundaries. My kids are in their room until 7:30am. They can use the restroom and they have their waters, but they are in their room with the door closed until it’s time to begin our day together. This is the boundary I’ve set and it works well for us. Do what works best for you, mama, but set those boundaries.
No.5 Say NO to anything that does not light you up.
Let’s make this tip specific to Christmas, although it can be applied to any holiday, birthdays or really any time of year. I love to send our annual Christmas card. It’s my thing. And because I love to send it, it’s fun to create, not a burden. I love having special Christmas mugs for each kid and making hot cocoa with marshmallows every chance we get. I love taking the kids to Hobby Lobby to pick out an ornament each year. I love observing a simple advent. I love making + decorating sugar cookies with the kiddos; we usually do that 2-3 times during the season. I love minimalist decor that melds with the color pallet of our home, that I can keep up through winter season (it’s such a downer to strip the house bare come January 1st).
What I don’t love? Time consuming crafts. Elaborate advent calendars. Lots of decorating that I have to take down/put away/store. Intricate traditions that depend on several different variables to be just right. Intense baking. Going anywhere crowded. Being out late. Being out. Period. Ha. So I don’t. I just say no. In fact, like I said at the beginning of this post, we don’t have anything currently planned for the month of December.
Choose the things you love, that light you up and and leave the rest. Never apologize if your style of savoring the season looks more like staying home in your cozy slippers and reading Christmas books to your kids by the fire. I promise your kids won’t care. All they want is a happy mama, a mama who is caring for herself.
Have any questions for me? Leave them in the comments and I’ll be happy to answer! You’ve got this, mama. Never fear! One breath, one step, one day at a time.
For more self-care goodness, come join me on Instagram and find the companion podcast episode for this post HERE. And if you haven’t joined my email list yet, that’s a great place to find more of the same.
Check out the side bar (or scroll all the way down if you’re on mobile) to view the freebies I’ve created just with you in mind. I hope you find something helpful.
Let’s care for ourselves,
Hannah