As much as it’s the most anticipated time of the year, holidays may also present a significant amount of tension, anxiety, and stress. From decorations and gifts to hosting parties, preparing the perfect meal, and reconnecting with family members with whom you’re not on good terms, holiday season pressure can come from many different directions. It can sometimes be quite overwhelming.
However, there are a few things you can do to ensure a happy and stress-free holiday that everyone will find enjoyable and memorable, and it all starts with creating a peaceful environment.
Below are some ways to foster an environment of peace and joy if you’ll be spending your holiday at home with family.
Create Cozy Spaces Where Family Members Can Gather to Share Memories
Everyone loves a cozy space where they can come together and share memories and stories from the past year. Whether you’ll be gathering indoors or outdoors, one of the first things you’ll want to do is to make sure the space is comfortable for everyone.
Start by choosing one or a few strategic spots in your home and cozy the space up. It could be anything from the fireplace to the backyard, the living room, or even in the kitchen. From there, make sure there is plenty of seating, and bring in extra chairs or blankets to make everyone comfortable.
Also, you can use candles, lamps, and string lights to ensure the space is well-lit and create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Adding some personal touches to the environment, perhaps using family photos, can also help in promoting joy and peace.
Use Tasteful Decorations That Help Keep Christ in the Center of the Home
The holidays, especially Christmas, are never complete without well-thought-out decorations that remind everyone that the season is all about loving and having joy in one another as you celebrate the birth of Christ. While decorations like string lights and Christmas trees are quite common, displaying some beautiful nativity sets can go a long way in promoting peace and joy in the holiday environment.
You could also use garlands to decorate the front door or put up a cross near where you’ll be gathering. All these are great ways to keep Christ at the center of the home and add grace to your holiday celebrations.
Incorporate Nature and Soothing Scents into the Gathering Space
No Christmas party is complete without a large tree decorated with all of your favorite ornaments and festive trinkets. But don’t stop there. A beautifully decorated Christmas tree can be made even more memorable by adding some white and gold ribbons, flowers, or ornaments with fragrant pine, cinnamon, and other spices.
Go ahead and hang a few wreaths in the windows or fresh greenery along the banister. You could even light up a few scented candles with fragrances like fir balsam, fresh apple, mulled wine, or red currant. Fragrances like roses, cedar, or lavender can help soothe and calm guests.
Plan Meaningful Activities for the Day
If you know your family is having a tough time coming together, make sure to plan some meaningful activities for the day of the party. For example, you could elect to have a few family members share a bible verse that inspired them the most for the year, and then perform a vote to decide which one was the verse of the day.
You can also choose a game that everyone can participate in and actually enjoy. The main idea is to promote interaction and make everyone feel at ease with each other.
Maybe some of the kids will want to make cards for the troops, or some adults will want to hand out hot chocolate. If your family is old-fashioned, you could ask everyone to wear their best clothes and have a holiday photo taken. And if none of these seems up your alley, try to pick a simple activity like watching the season’s best classic Christmas movie and talking about it afterward.
Some of the best and most memorable holidays are spent at home together with loved ones. The above are just a few ways you can create a peaceful and joyful environment so everyone can enjoy the holidays to the fullest without stressing.
