How to make friends with the creep
The holiday creep, that is.
Anyone who knows me knows I’m not a shopper. I avoid stores, lines, crowds. So when I find myself physically in a store like I did a week before Halloween on a quest for a few Halloween-themed items and find myself greeted by a plethora of Christmas decor - it always takes me by surprise. Why is it Christmas in October?
That said, as a retailer myself, I know how important it is to get an early start - especially this year due to all of the supply chain issues. So, let’s talk about how to make friends with the ‘grim creeper’ without losing the joy of the season. If we play our cards right - we just might have the longest, most peaceful holiday season yet.
SAVED BY THE TURKEY
It’s true. Holiday decorations + holiday marketing creep out earlier + earlier every season.
Do you remember back in the day when Black Friday actually happened on the Friday after Thanksgiving? Today Black Friday is a season of its own!
By the time my daughters were in high school, Black Friday had creeped up to midnight. So, they always wanted to go Black Friday shopping that night after Thanksgiving dinner - right at midnight. Like I said, I’m not a shopper (I also prefer to be in bed by 9pm), so I never really understood this urge to shop + stand in lines in the middle of the night. Such a party pooper!
I also had a great excuse to bow out. For the past 19 years, my husband + I have hosted a neighborhood golf tournament on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. So, Black Friday for the past 19 years has been ‘prep’ day for the tournament. I joke that this tournament has probably saved us mounds of money over the years because it keeps us from even noticing any of the Black Friday madness.
Each year, Black Friday comes a little earlier + extends a little longer. Last year, my company ran its Black Friday promo for a full week! This year, I’ve already seen retailers promoting Black Friday for the full month of November. Eek!
If you are someone who LOVES the holidays, you might LOVE the idea of dragging the season out as long as possible. But for many (68% of Americans), the holidays can be a time of anxiety. So, a longer season just means more time feeling anxious + stressed. And who wants that?
STRESS-LESS
Ironically, an early start to the holidays in terms of planning + preparation is exactly what reduces the stress. And this year, with the current supply chain issues, we can’t assume that things will be right at our fingertips when we need them.
Shortages + shipping delays are very real this year. So, now is the time to think through your holiday season + how you would like it to roll out. Then, get an early start so you can avoid the stress of last minute shopping + logistics.
I promise - it will make your holiday season much more enjoyable!
A MARATHON, NOT A RACE
As someone who makes her living in retail running an online store, I thought I would share some tips to simplify your holidays by helping you prepare, focus + thrive as we get ready for what will be a ‘not so normal’ holiday season.
Plan ahead. There are seven weeks til Christmas. That’s not a lot, but it’s enough time to get burned out if you’re not careful. Break out your calendar now. Block off times for shopping, celebrating, extra self care + recuperating. If you don’t block those out now, you’ll end up squeezing things in by putting your routine tasks (exercise, cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning, reading, etc.) aside - which never turns out well.
Prioritize. Decide now what is important to you this season. Is it giving meaningful, thoughtful gifts? Is it time + connection with those you love? Is it protecting your own sense of self + mindset? Is it charity + supporting those in need? If you know your priorities in advance, it will make it easier to say ‘no’ or ‘yes’ as things come up.
Create space. Holidays bring MORE. More people. More stuff. More activities. If you’re already living at full capacity, you may not have room for ‘more’. So, clear some space now. Maybe you need to clear some space in your closet or guest room for gifts. Maybe you need to clear space on your calendar by canceling or postponing less important appointments. Maybe you need to clear your mind + recommit to your meditation time to ensure better clarity + peace.
Pace yourself. Don’t try to pack an entire holiday season into one week. You have time right now. Take it. Devote one or two weeks to shopping. One week for shipping or mailing. One week for meal planning for those special gatherings. If you do a little bit every week, you can keep it enjoyable + avoid holiday burn out.
Combine efforts. Engage in activities that will help you get multiple things done at once. If you go to a social gathering or fundraiser, grab a few gifts while there. If you’re shopping, get a friend to join you + use the time to reconnect. Find ways to combine activities + save some time/energy.
Accept help. I’m sure there is someone in your life offering to help you out in some way. Let them! Maybe you have a friend who can do your shopping for you. Or someone who can help with those chores that are not getting done. What is on your plate that you dread or tend to avoid. Who do you know who could help? Let them help. Let them give. That’s what the holidays are all about!
Retreat as necessary. Feeling overwhelmed? Tired? Burned out? Say ‘no’ to that last minute invitation. Cancel something if needed. Avoid operating on empty. It’s when you’re empty that you make bad choices like eating poorly or getting into it with someone. It’s also when you are more likely to get sick. Allow yourself the flexibility to retreat when needed.
Listen to your body. If you go too fast, you can’t hear your body speaking to you. This is not the time to ignore your body. Notice when you are tired. Notice when you are having unusual cravings. Notice when you feel like hiding. Notice when something hurts. Don’t ignore these whispers. They are your body speaking to you + letting you know where changes need to happen.
Reach Out + Check In. Tis the season for gratitude + generosity. If you don’t feel like you had the chance to feel gratitude or to give generously, you will feel like the holiday season passed you by. Pay attention to those around you. Smile. Connect. Give compliments. Ask questions. Share your appreciation. All of these small actions + moments are what make the season magical. Don’t miss out on them!
Remember. We all have a reason for the season. Whatever that reason is - when you find yourself starting to get overwhelmed, take a moment to remind yourself of what this season means to you + what you hope to experience.
YOUR MISSION:
What is the best gift you have ever received? What made that so special? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment below. It will give us all a little inspiration as we think about how we want to approach the holiday season.
RESOURCES:
JOIN: Need holiday gift ideas? Join my Facebook group.
SUPPORT: If you live nearby, would love to see you at the Turkey Classic Neighborhood Golf Tournament on Nov. 27. Get all the details here.
IN SUMMARY:
I realize it might seem early to think about the holidays, but when we don’t take the time to envision what we want, the world quickly dictates that outcome for us.
We each deserve a special sort of holiday - whatever that looks like - especially this year.
When you think back to the holidays last year in the midst of the pandemic - what did you miss? What did you not miss? This is your chance to reset + bring new meaning + connection to this special time of year.
The key is to start now.
See you next week?
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, please share it using the button below. And, if you’d like to stay in touch in real time during the week, you can find me on Instagram @redefiningkaren or on Facebook @cleanbeautyadvocate.
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In the meantime, tell your friends!
Not sure if I could pick out an all time favorite gift, but I do have one that's memorable.
Grrowing up we were big fans of Sees chocolates. I'm not sure if my dad received a box each year from his work as a gift or what, but I don't remember ever being in a Sees Candy shop just enjoying the variety of chocolates so I never knew the extent of choices one might have.
The year my husband, then boyfriend, began dating he showed up at my mom's house with a biggest box of See's candy's I'd ever seen all wrapped up for Christmas. It was four boxes all encased in this one big box and we were wowed! It definitely made a great and fun impression on us all. So much so that I'm thinking about it now, thirty two years later. ;)
How about you, Karen?