I LOVE Christmas.
It’s magical, wonderful, fun, joyful, peaceful, and (of course) spiritual all at once.
It’s amazing.
But of course, as we all know, those happy feelings that we associate with the holiday can also be suffocated by the hustle and bustle of seasonal to-do lists.
So, I’ve made a bucket list for you.
Not a “go and get ’em bucket list.”
A “Slow down and treasure Christmas” bucket list.
It’s to help you intentionally stop, feel, and soak in the beauty of the season.
And, I hope you’re able to do just that.
So, let’s make it happen.
Watch the winter sunrise
Can you imagine waiting in the chilly dark, and watching as the orange light creeps up and up, until it bursts over the horizon?
I can practically see the highlighted clouds from everyone’s breath and the glints on the frost trimmings everywhere.
What I love about this is that it makes you get up early, which clears your thoughts and gives you a chance to reflect.
It also semi-forces you into a state of self-awareness, which can help with building meaningful moments.
I would love to do this with my spouse, one of my kids, or another person that I want to specifically build my bond with during the holiday season.
Curl up with a book by the tree
This is one of my favorite Christmas pastimes. There’s something so nostalgic and warming about reading a good story next to the Christmas tree.
Last year, I worked my way through the Emma M. Lyon books (via audiobook), and in years past I’ve enjoyed works by authors such as L.M. Montgomery or Louisa May Alcott.
I highly recommend The Blue Castle (one of my favorite books of all time now) and An Old-Fashioned Girl (though that’s geared more at young women).
Drink herbal tea or hot apple cider by Christmas candlelight
This is one I have yet to do, but I think I will likely try it this year. It sounds really nice to do with my spouse or my oldest daughter.
(She’s five and would feel extra fancy drinking tea by candlelight).
If you want a simple but fancy version of hot apple cider, just heat up some from the store on low heat (don’t let it boil). Then throw in a cinnamon stick and some cloves for extra spice and flavor and let it sit as short or as long as you want (usually 10-25 minutes).
Voila! You’ve made hot apple cider that’s worthy of a fairy tale.
Listen to carols and relax
We all like to listen to carols while we do things, but do we ever just listen for the sake of listening anymore?
My grandma loved the likes of Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and Bing Cosby, and we would chat or craft in her room for hours as kids, just enjoying the Christmas vibes together.
If you have someone to do it with you, relax and take turns sharing favorite carols.
A couple of my favorites are “Silver Bells” and “Oh, Holy Night.”
Make potpourri
Have you ever made homemade potpourri?
(Pronounced Poh-poo-ree. Yes, it’s french.)
It’s smells so good!
It can also make great gifts.
Buy yourself some cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves, along with some dried orange slices, and you’ve got yourself a great base for a Christmas scent!
Reflect with just the Christmas lights on
There is a very specific and very special feeling that I get when I sit quietly by the Christmas tree each year.
I don’t like to have any other lights on (it’s got to just be Christmas decor), and there can’t be any distractions (other than maybe some quiet Christmas hymns).
But I like to breathe, relax, and steep in the moment.
It’s a good time to reflect on who I’ve become and who I want to be in the future.
It’s also a good time to think about God and how I feel about my relationship with Him.
Sometimes I’ll even pull out my scriptures and do my study there by the tree, which is really nice.
Send a handwritten Christmas card
When was the last time you sent a hand-written Christmas card?
I haven’t in many, many years.
But I do love writing cards. There’s something special about having a message just for someone else enclosed in real paper.
Maybe this is the year for us to stop pushing it off.
Do seasonal puzzles
This is a favorite pastime of my family each holiday season.
It started when we moved in my teenage years and spent a Christmas crammed into a tiny apartment with 9 people while my parents house-hunted.
We didn’t have much of our regular entertainment, so we turned to puzzles.
We ended up completing several magnificent 1000-piece holiday masterpieces, and we loved every minute of reflection, jokes, and chatting that we got along the way.
Since then, it’s become a tradition. Usually around the holidays you can find a massive puzzle laid out on an extra table. Anyone who wants to can stop by, contribute, and reflect.
(We love all kinds, especially Thomas Kincaid, but we also did one similar to this a couple years ago.)
Watch the antics of birds in the winter
When I was young, we lived in a little neighborhood out in the mountains.
We kept two feeders on either side of the house, and in the winter the birds entertained us with their antics in the snow.
It was wonderful (and good education).
If you don’t have a place for a feeder, though have no fear!
Sit by your window and watch what the birds like to do in your yard.
Or, take a walk in the cold at the park and see what the birds are up to there.
(You may need to sit for a bit to see activity, so be sure and dress warmly.)
Enjoy a walk in the snow (or frost)
Some of my favorite memories with my spouse are walks in the snow at the holidays.
Just us, snowflakes, blue footprints, and true love.
If you’re not married or your husband is away, take someone you want to bond with along. Enjoy the feel of the moment and the quiet of the outdoors.
Chat about your dreams (or don’t), and treasure the time you get together.
Look at the stars
When I think about looking at the stars, I will forever remember the phrase Nat’s mother says in the famous book Carry On, Mr. Bowditch:
“I will lift up my eyes unto the stars. Sometimes, if you look at the stars long enough, it helps. It shrinks your day-by-day troubles back down to size.”
I find too that whenever I’m in need of help and closeness to heaven, I can almost certainly find it praying under the stars.
But even if you’re not religious, time out and under the stars is a good opportunity to slow down, breathe, and re-center during the Christmas season.
Play simple games in the light of the Christmas tree
Maybe this isn’t as slow as some of the other ideas on here, but if you pick the right games, it’s certainly relaxing (and even meaningful).
Try playing something like Skyjo (one of my husband’s favorites), and enjoy talking, laughing, and being with the people you care about.
Read a chapter of a Christmas book each night
I know this might seem similar to reading by the tree, but I ultimately decided this was just different enough that I had to include it too.
You see, this bucket list item is about reading a Christmas book specifically.
I know of many families who choose to read a bit of “A Christmas Carol” each night through the holiday season, ending with Scrooge’s marvelous transformation on Christmas day.
But there are several other Christmas novels by Charles Dickens as well (Here is a collection). Or, you could read from a Christmas short story collection like this one by Max Lucado.
You could also just choose to spend time in the gospels each night. I’ve done this with myself the last couple years, and there’s something extra-special about the Christmas season when you’ve focused on Christ’s entire life in your scripture study.
Eat a meal by candlelight
Candlelight seems to bring back the magic of forgotten times, and I think that’s what makes this the perfect “Slow Christmas” bucket list item.
Eat at a table, or spread out a blanket (just keep the candles on a solid surface) and enjoy your favorite food.
I like the idea of a picnic with charcuterie, though you can also do homemade yumminess at the table.
Decorate with real greenery
I haven’t actually done this, but I know seome people do it and absolutely love it. So, it’s probably worth trying!
And if you’re nervous to start, just begin with a real Christmas tree!
Real trees smell amazing, and there’s something beautiful about the individuality of every one.
Wear cozy layers and fuzzy socks
What better way to enjoy the season than to dress for it?
When I was younger, I remember fuzzy socks being all-the-rage during the holidays. And, for good reason too. They’re cozy, fun, and perfect for winter evenings.
So break out your sweaters, and put on your beanies to go with them!
Spend time relaxing by the fire
You don’t have to have wood-burning fireplace to do this one. A gas fireplace or an outdoor firepit work just as well!
Sit by the flames with people you love. Chat, joke, and look up at the heavens.
There’s something about time by a fire that creates closeness with the people seated there.
And during the holidays, feeling close to the people you love is part of the magic of the season.
Photograph the little things
Photos have become so “influencer-ized” that sometimes we get stuck on just taking picture-perfect snapshots of the “cool” things.
But what if we just took pictures for ourselves, so that we could enjoy remembering the little things later?
The silly faces, the cool pine cone, the frost in the windowpanes, the tree that looks like it came from Charlie Brown—all of them can become little moments of our slow Christmas, moments we can look back on and smile about.
Make treats and share them
“A treat’s not a treat until you share it with a friend.” – Anonymous
Okay, really, I just made that quote up. But, I think I’m on to something!
It’s fun to make Christmas treats. But usually what makes them extra-special is the happiness and conversation you get when you share them with someone!
Some of my Christmas favorites include eggnog, cinnamon rolls, and $250 chocolate chip cookies (growing up, my family always used dark chocolate in them—they’re heavenly).
Drink hot chocolate and chat with a friend
I love hot chocolate. Good hot chocolate. (Not the watered-down plain ones. Those are a disgrace to human sensibility.)
Now and then I like to make my own with an unrefined sugar (like maple syrup) and good Cocoa, though I don’t do it often.
But I think that a cup of cocoa and a good talk with a friend (Or a good talk with your spouse) is the perfect way to slow down and focus on what matters.
Make a gift by hand
Another good way to get away from the hustle and bustle is to make a gift for someone by hand.
It takes time, yes, but it’s worth it.
Plus, much of what we own is just extra “stuff,” so it’s fun to create something unique.
I recommend making something with someone else or alongside someone doing their own project. But, you can also just enjoy being alone next to the Christmas tree or by the fire.
Write down things you’re grateful for
We remember November as a time for gratitude, but sometimes it takes a back burner by the time we reach the month of December.
But, of course, it shouldn’t. In fact, numerous studies show that gratitude has a whole host of health and mental benefits. People who are grateful experience lower rates of anxiety and depression and more positive moods in general.
So, with all that I mean to say that gratitude should hold a place of honor in our slow Christmas season.
I think this year I might try writing down something each day that I’m grateful for (maybe I could make it a kind of Christmas countdown!)
Enjoy a cozy movie and blanket night
This is a classic way to slow down at Christmas, but I think it has to go on here because we sometimes forget to do it.
(I mean, how many holiday seasons have you ended only to say “I never sat down and watched that movie I wanted to!”)
So slow down, and go watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Home Alone” snuggled up with your favorite blanket and a good snack.
Enjoy 🙂
Act out or read the Christmas story
I don’t think my list could be complete without a mention of the Christmas story because, of course, remembering Christ’s birth is the whole reason the season exists.
I invite you this year to study His entry into this world and reflect on what it means to you. Write down your thoughts and feelings, and let it be what makes this season exceptional.
Sometimes slowing down does mean a good cup of cocoa, and sometimes it means sharing scrumptious food with friends.
But, of course, I think the ultimate reason to slow down is to give us room to reflect on who we are and who we want to become.
Christ’s birth changes all of that for us. Because of him, we can repent of our mistakes and move forward into who we are meant to be. I am so thankful for a Savior of second chances, and the opportunity to remember Him and let His birth change me.
And, it’s alright if we disagree! But if you are inclined to do so, I think that including Christ’s story in Christmas is the perfect way to slow down.
Slow and steady wins the seasonal race
Thank you for coming through this list with me.
I hope you found some great ideas! Or, I hope I inspired you to come up with something of your own that suits you!
I love this season, and I hope that slowing down this year blesses you and your family.
Merry Christmas!
