I went into a department store the other day in search of a punching balloon for a papier mache pinata we are making. The Halloween decorations were out. Which makes sense. And right behind them were the Christmas decorations. Garland, stockings, tree stands and more. Really. In the beginning of October. And I breathed in. Out. And realized it was time once again to set some intentions for how it could/should/would be for our family.

Rather than panic I took it as a reminder that the holidays were coming and if I wanted them to be peaceful and easy, which I do, now might be a good time to start pondering what they might look like.

Over the past few years we, as a family, have honed in on what we want our holidays to look like. What we want to do. Where we want to go. And most importantly, how we want them to feel. For us the holidays are full of making stuff, day trips, family hikes, packages mailed and treats created. Because, regardless of our beliefs, the holidays come at us from every direction in every form. And if we’re not clear about what we DO want, we are bombarded by what we don’t want. And I don’t think I need to go into detail about what that looks like.

In light of all of this, we created a workbook a couple of years ago to help families figure out not just what they don’t want, but what they DO want. How do we want it to feel? What are the pieces we want to incorporate and how can we get where we want to be as the holidays come our way.

Because goodness knows, they definitely come our way whether we are ready or not.

If you’d like to set some intentions for your upcoming holiday season and make your holidays feel more aligned with your family life, this Creating Your Slow Holiday workbook might be for you. Check it out. Answer the questions and then let us know what pieces worked for you. What changes are you going to implement? We’d love to know.

I started to spiral a little bit into holiday blues this past week. I was worrying about the consumption of it all and not exactly finding the spirit needed to bring me joyfully into this season. In an effort to combat the blues and bring in the cheer, I made a short list of what I wanted this month…

• connection with family and friends
• celebration of the season
• baking
• crafting
• sharing my good fortunes with others
• kindness
• a spirit of giving
• comfort and joy

As I looked at the list I realized all the things I want are completely attainable. And all are well within my power to make happen. We hung our Advent Calendar (finally) which consists of tiny pockets full of trinkets which get pinned onto the tree. In each pocket I also stuck a little note full of ideas for giving of the spirit. I crafted with some mama friends last night. And today, on this chilly rainy Sunday afternoon in Austin, TX I plan on doing a little holiday baking with the kids. And each time I start to spiral into overwhelm, I’ll look at my list for inspiration.

How do you create the spirit you want around the holidays? Do you know how you want the holidays to look and feel? Will you count down the days with joy this holiday? Or cross them off in a race of endurance?

If you need some ideas, we have a Creating Your Holidays e*book that will help you figure out just how you want things to look and feel.

Though we haven’t quite hit Thanksgiving yet, the move into holiday mode has already officially begun. And if it seems like it’s coming at you faster than ever, perhaps it’s because it really is. I even read one report of an early “black Friday” which seems to me like calling Thursday Monday.

In our house we are beginning our holiday prep by making list of the items we can make for gifts this year. Sewing, drawing, baking, helping, collecting will all be themes this year for sure. We are not big shoppers by any stretch. Well, unless you count the thrift store which I truly adore. We are however big lovers of making and sending packages far and wide. These packages have become a big part of our holidays and we start their assemblage in early December and fill them all month long. It’s fun on our end to make things, draw pictures, find things in our treasure stash, discover relics here and there that remind us of relatives far and wide and pack them up in crayon covered wrappings. When all is said and done, filled and decorated, the boxes go out via USPS to their destinations.

To all of us in our family of six, this ritual, which has grown over the past few years, feels connected. It fills us with the spirit of giving. It fills us with thoughts of our huge and extended family. It is now filled with tradition too. And it feels slow and connected.

What are some of your traditions? What are the things you do during the holidays that fill you with love and connection? How have you found ways to celebrate the season without feeling overwhelmed?

Need help finding ways to slow down your holiday? We’ll help you bring back the comfort and the joy.