This time of year is always special. It’s a time of joy and excitement and general goodwill.
It’s also a labyrinth of social obligations, financial stressors, memories of those lost, and overall chaos.
If you’re a minimalist, or even if you have just a cursory understanding of minimalism, you know it’s better to prioritize memories over things.
That philosophy helps prevent excess during the holidays, and it also promotes intentionality in how we spend this festive time.
There can be this pressure, though, to create the “perfect holiday.” A time of impeccable balance, lifelong memories, and the best traditions.
There is no perfect Christmas. The turkey will get overcooked. The toddler will break an ornament. The lights won’t work, or someone will ruin the family picture.
Those hiccups can put a damper on your plans, but they don’t have to. Some of my favorite memories are the result of such disasters.
When my husband and I returned home one year, we couldn’t drive up the hill to our place because there was so much ice and snow. We had to leave our car at a garage at the bottom of the hill and walk up to our place. It was cold and miserable at the time, but now it’s a happy memory.
My family loves to bake during the holidays, and fortunately (unfortunately?), I have several good bakers around me. When I made a less than stellar homemade pie crust one year, it was more than a little frustrating. My dignity as a baker and member of the family was on the line, for crying out loud!
To this day, I get teased about the “chewy pie crust.” My ego recovered long ago, but the laughs continue.
As a child, we had a live Christmas tree each year. One year, my mother went by herself to get the tree. My mother, who is all of 5 feet tall.
Needless to say, the tree she chose was…. diminutive. The family was taken aback. This wasn’t a Christmas tree; it was a shrub!
That’s one of the few trees I remember distinctly. We laughed for ages about that little tree. It was the one year my mother could put on the tree topper.
I could go on, but you get the point. We never know which part of the holidays will create a special memory.
Many of the best memories don’t come from planned events. They come from fiascos, changes in plans, and unexpected results.
So this year, by all means, prioritize memories over things. Don’t “gift yourself” a mountain of debt this Christmas.
But you don’t have to twist yourself into a pretzel trying to create perfect memories, either. This time is not about avoiding any and all negative emotions. When we let go of unrealistic expectations, we make room to enjoy the holidays with all their inevitable twists and turns.
At the intersection of thwarted plans and an open heart is where we find the magic of the season.