Planning Priorities for the Holiday Season

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Dec 02, 2022

Hello! As the seasons shift—in weather, circumstances, schedules, and vibes in general—you might find it very helpful to figure out what’s most important to you in the next few months. We won’t be talking about your calendar in specifically, but about what kind of things you will allow onto your calendar and what kind of things you will make sure are on it.

Here’s one idea: interview each member of your family about their hopes for the season! What do they want to do the most? What would they like to do? What can be done at home and what would require an outing?

You also might want to have a planning session with your spouse so you can decide now what will be most important to you in the next few months. It might look very different from the last season (see our post “Deciding Your Yeses and Nos for Fall.”)

Here are some examples:

A “no” to spending time outside on crummy-weather days can mean a “yes” to more handicrafts, readalouds, and—yes—good movies. The other day my family watched Enola Holmes on a random Wednesday, and Enola Holmes 2 on Thursday, and in other seasons, that might’ve felt indulgent to stay up late watching movies on a school night, but it felt right for us in this season.
Have you pretty much already gotten all the presents you need, but you always find yourself getting pulled in by all the red-slashed pricetags and promotional emails this time of year? A “no” to spending more money on last-minute Christmas sales is a “yes” to a more complicated life. If you decide ahead of time that it’s gonna be a “no” if you have the option to buy one more gift—even if it’s a good deal—you might be surprised by how much it simplifies your life.
Saying “yes” to more sweets this season might mean saying “no” to fitting into some of your current clothes, but maybe that’s okay for this season. Maybe you just need to buy some elastic-waisted pants and say “I planned on enjoying special treats with my family this season.” It doesn’t mean you’re always indulgent. Seasons exist. You could also modify your food-related plans for this season with a “yes” to baking from scratch and a “no” to buying Little Debbies every week.
A “yes” to numerous holiday parties is a “no” to more evenings around your table. Always saying “yes” to a broad group of acquaintances is often saying “no” to deepening friendships or reaching out to someone who could really use help; on the other hand, always saying “no” to meeting new people might cause you to miss out on a great relationship. Which do you hope to focus on in this new season?