The holidays are my favorite time of year, but this year getting in the holiday spirit is feeling a little difficult. Recently, I lost my grandma, and Christmas was always magical with her around. This year, my goal is to celebrate the holidays to the fullest extent in honor of her. If, for whatever reason, you are also having trouble getting in the holiday spirit, here are some simple things that I’ve started to do to prepare myself for the joyous time that’s to come.
Listen to your favorite holiday music
Personally, music is my favorite way to get in a festive mood. To get yourself ready for the upcoming season, put on some holiday music! A lot of people don’t think you should listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, but I am not one of those people. On November 1st, I can hear Mariah Carey singing “It’s Time!!!!” Now, if you don’t know what to listen to, here are some Spotify playlists that I’ve found that are a sure way to get you in the holiday spirit. Some classic holiday songs for me are any Christmas songs done by Pentatonix, but my favorite has to be “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” by NSYNC. I will link all of them below so you can set the holiday mood if you’re feeling like it.
Make a wish list
I don’t know about you guys, but personally, I had no idea what I wanted for Christmas this year. As a kid, it was so easy to think of things that I wanted, but I found that as I got older, there wasn’t much that I wanted. Or what I should say, is that I feel I’ve reached an age where, if I want something, I should save up and buy it myself. However, the holidays are the time to spend time with one another, and since gift-giving and receiving are usually part of that, making a list was a must. I turned to TikTok and YouTube for some inspiration. There are so many content creators out there who share their holiday wish lists, and yes, sometimes it’s pervasive or everything costs $1 million, but there are ways to take simple ideas from those videos. In today’s world, everything is super expensive, and I’ve found that name brands aren’t everything. There is always a similar product that is good and doesn’t cost nearly as much. If you’re struggling to find something you want for the holidays, definitely check out those videos, and remember, you can always modify them because it’s ultimately what you want.
Make a list of all the holiday movies you want to watch and start watching them
I am a sucker for a good holiday movie, especially Hallmark movies. Now in order to get into the holiday spirit, I would suggest going with some classic films, such as Frosty the Snowman, Elf, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Christmas story, etc. However, since it’s still early in the holiday season, I totally recommend watching Hallmark movies because, even though some of them are over the top and all of them are cheesy, they are the best feel good movies. My grandma was a huge Hallmark fan, and we used to watch the Hallmark Countdown to Christmas together if it was on while I was at her house. Some Hallmark movies that I recommend watching to get you in the spirit are Christmas in Notting Hill, Christmas on Duty, Hanukkah on the Rocks, or any winter themed movie. Most Hallmark movies can be found on Amazon Prime, so I definitely recommend looking it up. Ultimately, it’s up to you because everyone’s holidays look different, so pick a movie that’s special for you and brings you joy during the holiday season. There is nothing quite like curling up on the couch with a cozy blanket and putting on a good movie.
Go do some early holiday shopping
I love shopping in general, but holiday shopping is even more fun because I get to pick up gifts for other people. This is the one time of year where you have the perfect reason to spoil those that you love. If you’re struggling with what to get your loved ones, my suggestion is to go shopping and see what stores have. I know personally, coming up with gift ideas that are materialistic is hard for me because I never know what people need/want. Something that goes a long way is something sentimental, like pictures, experiences, handmade items, etc. Personally, I love receiving things that have meaning. It’s just so special when someone gives you something and you realize just how much effort they put into it, and I think that in itself means more than any materialistic gift you could get. However, sometimes if you’re on a time crunch, you don’t have time to come up with something, or it’s not your style to make something your own. If that’s the case, seriously, just go check out some stores — usually things seem to pop out at me randomly and I’m like, “Oh, that would be a great gift,” or “Oh my gosh, my sister would love that.” This is especially great with Black Friday coming up!
Reach out to loved ones
My last tip for getting in the holiday season is to reach out to your loved ones because this is the season to be showing them all the love that you possibly can. Around this time of year, I tend to do a lot of reflection about all the things in my life that I’m grateful for because there are so many people in this world that are less fortunate, and this is the time of year where I especially hold my loved ones close. Everyone’s family looks different and what family means to you might be different than what family means for me, but I challenge everyone to text the people that you love or give them a call just to check in or tell them that you’re thinking of them. Another thing I wanted to mention is that the holidays can be a really hard time for people and so, as you move through the world and your everyday life, be kind. Another challenge I have for everyone is to do random acts of kindness for strangers. It can be as simple as a wave from across the street, a smile as you’re walking by, or even holding the door for somebody. We never know what somebody else is going through and sometimes the holidays are just a reminder of what people don’t have, so it’s important to be a person in this world who’s caring and kind. You never know how much a small gesture will mean to someone.
I hope you all enjoyed reading! I just love the holidays, so I’m glad that, even though it’s been a tough time, I am finding ways to make this year just as special as every other year. If you’re struggling this holiday season, know you’re not alone, and I wish you all a very happy holiday!