Top 5 Ways To Get Your Holiday Spirit Back
I’ve had a difficult time getting into the holiday spirit because for the last 18 years, I’ve spent most of the holiday seasons traveling from city to city attending and working art shows while staying in chain hotels. I was forced to listen to Christmas music 12 hours a day – day after day – which can also put a little scrooge into the festivities after so many years.
Now that I’m no longer doing these shows, but instead spending more time in my studio creating- I have had a long enough break and a little more time to once again re-learn how to get back “into” that holiday spirt. But of course, I cannot dive in head first. I need to slowly ween myself into the month of December without getting too overwhelmed and frustrated. So I decided to do 5 things that will help regain my holiday spirit without getting over my head. I think they are all good reminders for anyone who would like to find a little lift in the spirt without over doing it.
Top 5 Ways To Get Your Holiday Spirit Back
1. Decorate something small
Don’t try to cover your entire house with Christmas decor or throw the Vatican version of the nativity scene in your front lawn. There’s no need to compete with friends or neighbors with how much you can over decorate your home and yard. Instead find one small specific place in your home that you enjoy being in and spend a little time decorating that room or small area. It can be a room, or a corner, a dresser, or a desk. For me, I decided to decorate the mantel over my fireplace. This seemed the easiest for me and the least intimidating. I bought a fresh pine wreath that I hung above my mantel piece and then added some LED white tiny Christmas lights. I will soon add a few other small decorations. Now it feels very festive and holiday like.
2. Listen to some classical holiday music.
The last several years have been an array of Rock, Jazz, Country, Pop, Alternative Rock, and even heavy metal Christmas music. The genres have overwhelmed me and I’m tired of hearing so many versions of the same songs. This year, I’m going to spend time listening to the most classical versions of these songs. No lyrics, just simple, easy, soft orchestrated versions of some of my favorite holiday tunes. Hopefully this will help with getting my love for Christmas music back.
3. Make some Christmas hot drinks and cocktails.
I love hot drinks and there’s something very fun about a toddy or hot chocolate with peppermint drink. A friend of mind had a few people over for some hot butter rum drinks and guess what’s in hot butter rum? You guessed it. BUTTER! And lot’s of it. I was shocked at how good it was and decided having one of these once a year probably won’t kill me.
4. Wear pajamas around the house and the studio by putting your mind in a ‘stay’cation mode
Instead of going out of town for a vacation, have a stay home vacation (stay-cation). Being comfortable and in pajamas around the house remind me of being a kid or when I’m on vacation and there is nothing more simple to help get me into the holiday spirit. I plan on taking some old pajamas that I’ve had packed away for awhile and getting them covered in paint just so I have more fun clothes to hang out and work in.
5. Watch Christmas movies with friends.
There is no doubt that this is one of the very best ways to get me into the Christmas and holiday spirit. I usually start with “It’s A Wonderful Life” and work my way to “A Christmas Story” and “Elf”. There is nothing more effective than spending time with friends (and family) while watching films like these that get’s me into the spirit and is also something easy to do right from my own living room.
Enjoy the season and stay safe. I’m going to really enjoy some reflective down time during the Christmas week around my fireplace listening to classical holiday music drinking my hot toddy!
Love,
Jaime
NOTE: Please feel free to share this post. But plagiarism is not okay and very uncool.
©2014 Jaime Byrd.