Have you ever wondered what a stress-free Christmas season might look like? Well, people that have perfected the art of minimalism may have figured out how to enjoy this holiday the way it was intended. Stress-free. Are you craving that this year? If so, then maybe it’s time you enjoy a minimalist Christmas!

Minimalism means very different things to many different people. So figuring out what it means to you is extremely important.

Whether you believe minimalism is to simply live with less stuff, re-prioritize the important things in your life, or get in touch with a slower pace of life; they all share the same common desired result.

To be content.

Contentment might be harder to obtain than you think, especially during the Christmas season.

We want to participate in dozens of activities, buy lots of gifts, and make sure our homes are the best-decorated ones in the neighborhood.

Those things are all great as long as they are not causing you unnecessary stress.

Enjoying a minimalist Christmas does not mean you can’t buy gifts, put up a Christmas tree, or decorate your home. There are no sacrifices you will have to make to have a minimalist Christmas.

All that you’re doing is embracing a new way of celebrating Christmas that might just be what you need to reconnect to this wonderful holiday.

If you are ready to learn more about how to have a minimalist Christmas, then keep on reading.

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01 | RE-DEFINE YOUR GIFTS

Who doesn’t love presents! Receiving them, picking them out, giving them, etc. It is such a great tradition that over time, unfortunately, has become overwhelming emotionally and financially.

So yes, embracing a more minimalist Christmas means altering how to give your presents. Here are some thoughts to consider for this year.

• Let go of giving certain people gifts you feel obligated to, but really do not have to. Maybe the mail carrier, the receptionist at your child’s school, your hairstylist. Yes, it is very nice to think about these people, but there is no expectation on either side to give or receive these gifts. If it’s causing you to stress and is a financial burden, skip giving these gifts this year.

• Buy one really good gift. Maybe you have grown accustomed to wanting to buy several gifts for every family member. What if you switched it up this year and bought everyone one really great gift instead?

• Still feeling anxious about only giving one gift to your family members? Why not make them getting the gift fun? You can send them on a scavenger hunt to find their gift or maybe you wrap their gift in layers of boxes and bags, or you can display their gift in a fun unique way?

• Give experiences instead of things. Do you know a person that has everything? Then why not give them a memorable experience as a gift instead?

02 | STOP MAKING PLANS

Ice-skating, tree lighting ceremonies, Christmas plays, the Symphony, homemade hot cocoa bar, baking Christmas cookies, Christmas dinner party, building a gingerbread house, Christmas movie night, etc.

All super fun things! But they can easily become an annual expectation. A “quota” you need to meet every year to fulfill your Christmas season.

That’s a lot of pressure to put on yourself every year and a lot of possible disappointment if you don’t mark these activities off your to-do list.

What if you did not make a single Christmas activities plan? What if you decided to leave the family calendar blank and did things when you had the desire to do them?

Takes a lot of pressure off right?

This year challenge yourself to just accept plans as they come and be a little more spontaneous.

03 | DECORATE WHAT YOU WANT

I’m sure you have a few containers in the garage or attic filled with years of accumulated Christmas decorations.

The obligation sets in to pull every figurine out and hang every Christmas ornament on our tree.

Let me ask you a very serious question… Do you love all the Christmas decor you are putting up year after year?

If you do great! By all means, get to decorating!

If you are questioning yourself if you do actually love your Christmas decor, then maybe this is the year you donate some decor you can finally say goodbye to.

If you want to replace your Christmas decor this year with new trendy looks then go for it! Farmhouse Christmas is here to stay, might as well hop on the buffalo check bandwagon!

You could also opt for using natural decor around your home. Collect, sticks, pine branches, and pinecones, and decorate your home in a more nordic minimalist way.

Maybe it’s not that you want to replace your Christmas decor with something new but maybe you just want to reduce how much decor you have altogether.

That is OK! Go simple, make decorating a breeze, and clean up after the holidays even easier.

04 | STRESS-FREE WRAPPING

You either love wrapping gifts or dread pulling out those plastic bows and the bucket of gift wrap tubes.

If you are one of those that dread this Christmas pass time then maybe this is the year you simplify the entire process.

• Buy the exact same wrapping paper, bows, ribbon, and tags. No need to create unique looks for every present. Plus the gifts will look great huddled together under your tree.

• Just buy bags. You typically spend money on all the other gift wrapping essentials, why not just buy bags and tissue paper and call it a day?

• Recycle material you have in your own home. Wrap gifts in old fabric, T-Shirts, newspapers, magazine paper, etc. This could be a really fun and unique way to give a gift!