Simplifying The Season: what it means

It seems like a cruel joke. The older we get, the more quickly time seems to pass, leaving you less time to enjoy life. Take the holidays for example. When I was a kid it seemed like the year draaggggeeeddd by and Christmas could not get here soon enough. Then I got a little older. A little busier. I had kids. Responsibilities. Commitments. Now all of a sudden the year flies by. Before I know it, I’m sitting in the aftermath of the holidays wondering what just happened. It has me looking for ways of simplifying the season where I can.

what simplifying the season means to me

No matter how much I plan ahead for the holidays it always seems like things are too rushed. I run out of time to do some of the things that I would really like to be doing, or even should be doing. I wouldn’t say the holidays are a source of stress, per se. However, there is a slight sigh of relief once they’re over.

Slight, I said slight!!

Don’t hate me.

Well, apparently I’m not alone. I polled some of my readers and fellow bloggers on how they really felt about the holidays. Their answers were interesting! Don’t worry, it’s not all negative! In fact, I was really happy to see how most people feel about the holiday season!

 

 

why are we stressing out so much?

As cute as those family pictures are, we all know how stressful getting that one perfect photo can be. Family fun during the holidays is wonderful, but a lot of preparation goes into family gatherings. Not budgeting or even knowing how much you’re spending can be a serious strain on family life. That’s pretty much the last thing you want around the holidays.

| Read: Simplifying the Season–Focus on the Savior |

As someone that starts buying and planning for Christmas the year before, the idea that the majority of  respondents don’t start planning until a few months before (if that!) makes me want to break out in stress hives. There’s late nights, cleaning, organizing, meal planning… With some of these answers I’m surprised that only 15% of people used the word busy to describe the holiday season. Roughly half of those polled already feel the holidays are stressful, so why are we adding more self-inflicted stress? 

join me in simplifying the season this year

Y’all, I have an idea. This year, let’s simplify a little bit. Let’s refocus and think about what’s really important. Let’s slow down and stress a little less.

Several months ago I had an idea for how I want to celebrate the season this year. Let me share it with you. It’s called Simplifying the Season. My hope is that it will help you all in some way as you enjoy your holidays this year. I’ve called upon some of my favorite bloggers to help me spread the word and I am so excited about the coming weeks!

 

I would love for you to take part in any way you can! This holiday season I want to know how you are going to simplify and refocus. Share it on your blog, share it on your social media, just share it! Maybe you have some tips about how to stay calm with holiday guests. Or maybe you have a family tradition you want to share that helps you focus on family time. Whatever it is I want to know how it helps you with simplifying the season! This should not be something that adds yet another thing to your holidays. Rather, it should be something to help enhance them. Something that helps to refocus the holidays on what truly matters to you and your family this season.

 

 

Be sure to use the hashtag #SimplifyingTheSeason and then link-up the week after Christmas. I want to see what you’re up to!

These other lovely bloggers are talking about #SimplifyingTheSeason this week too:

Shani from Sunshine and Munchkins

Whitney from Work it Mommy

How do you feel about the holidays? Which ones do you celebrate and how do you focus on what’s important about them?