As the days are getting shorter and the air is turning crisp, I sense the holiday season right around the corner. The holidays are exciting for many, but can also be stressful for others. If this sounds familiar to you, you may identify with me as a “highly sensitive” person, a term used to describe people who are deeply affected by their environments, emotions, and the energy of others.
Holiday stress is the real deal, but the good news is you have power to choose. Will your holidays be fun and peaceful, or stressful with high self-imposed expectations and anxiety?
In the following guide, I’ll share five steps tailored for HSPs to create a serene and joyous holiday season, from reimagining traditions to managing sensory overload.
1. DEFINE THE HOLIDAY OF YOUR DREAMS
As adults, we get to choose how to celebrate our holidays. Many people fall into the trap of doing things the way their parents did. Others are still celebrating with their family of origin, and that’s where things can get tricky and taking care of yourself becomes your primary job.
What does your ideal holiday look like? Take a few minutes to visualize your ideal holiday season. Next, let’s address potential hurdles, starting with personal triggers.
One of the best ways to have a better holiday season is to think through what that means for you.
What does the holiday of your dreams look like?
Didi
2. nOTICE YOUR TRIGGERS
Triggers are those locked up memories in your subconscious mind. Plenty of us brush those memories under the rug in adulthood and pretend they never happened. But, it’s important to acknowledge them so that we don’t repeat them.
When I was a kid, I loved the holidays. The house was decorated and holiday music was playing. Unfortunately, one of us kids always ended up in big trouble.
Needless to say, I have holiday triggers. Now, I want my holidays to be incredibly peaceful, and therefore, I want to underplay everything. I do that through minimalism. See the following examples:
- There is no extra company besides my primary family.
- Easy on the decorations.
- Easy on the cooking.
- Heavy on the relaxing.
In other words, relaxation, movies, and staying in PJs all day long. Couldn’t get better than that for me.
The holiday of your dreams may or may not look like mine. The point is . . . it’s all okay. It just needs to work for YOU! Next up: sensory perception!
3. Overstimulation: Your Senses Lead the Way
Have you ever thought about how your sensory system affects your everyday life? If you gave it some thought, you would realize that stress is filtered through your senses and takes a toll on both your emotions and your body. Of course, that works both ways. Your senses also bring in good sights, sounds, and smells, too. Below are some suggestions to think about.
Visual and Physical Overstimulation
During the holidays, tips from the minimalist mindset can help reduce overstimulation, mental clutter, and stress. Cleaning and organizing the house early in the season can be super helpful. Here are some ideas to create a serene environment, allowing you to feel more relaxed as the holiday approaches.
- Declutter – Declutter as many areas as possible to start with a clean slate.
- Organize – put away laundry, clean up flat surfaces, get caught up on bills, etc.
- Deep Clean – Clean the fridge, cabinets, microwave, countertops, bathrooms, etc.
- Doing this will help you to thoughtfully choose your holiday decorations and avoid sensory overload.”
Keep it Simple – Minimal Holiday Decor
Choose holiday decorations that bring joy without overwhelming your space. Opting for simple decor can be just as enjoyable.
These focused steps help create a serene setting, allowing you to enjoy the holidays with reduced sensory overload.
- A door decoration/hanging
- A table arrangement
- A small tree
- Christmas stockings
These suggestions assume you celebrate a typical Christmas holiday, but adjust according to your traditions. Next, we tackle shopping!
Holiday Shopping: Crowds, Odors, and hustle & Bustle
Shopping during the holidays can trigger a lot of anxiety for highly sensitive people.
Just the other day, I visited beautiful downtown Santa Barbara in California. We had such a good time! But it wasn’t lost on me how much my sensory system was set off.
As we walked through the little town, strong and pungent odors poured out of storefront doorways. Each new scent felt like an attack on my olfactory receptors. After twenty minutes and three blocks, I could feel my eyes burning. Suddenly, I noticed a woman sleeping inside the doorway cubby of a store; my heart started to ache.
But just as quickly we settled into an outdoor restaurant with the perfect visual and auditory mix: large green plants, red tablecloths, and beautiful Italian music.
Understanding how your body reacts to the environment is a skill that can take years to learn. Those good ole senses can make or break an outing for highly sensitive people. Next up, gifts!
Shopping and Gift Alternatives
The whole shopping and gift-giving extravaganza can get quite overwhelming. Below are some options for buying gifts, gift exchanges, or no gifts.
- Shop online.
- Shop early or buy gifts throughout the year.
- Draw names for a gift exchange.
- Play Secret Santa: (draw names – anonymous giving – limited spending.)
- Play the white elephant game: gag gifts, used gifts. Gift swapping rules – choose a wrapped gift or steal someone else’s gift.
- Nix gifts altogether – focus on people and activities versus things.
Next up, traditions!
4. DECIDE ON YOUR TRADITIONS
My holiday traditions included a family day devoted to decorating the tree with our favorite holiday music playing and a fire in the fireplace as well as a day dedicated to making graham-cracker gingerbread houses with the kids.
What are some things that you would like to incorporate into your own holiday traditions?
- Visiting friends
- Ice skating
- Get an advent calendar
- A trip to the snow
- Build a snowman
- Go to a holiday play, concert, or ballet
- Visit Santa
- Make Christmas tree shopping a fun event
- Make decorating your tree a party
- Go see lights
- Go caroling
- Make a special date for Christmas shopping
- Volunteer at your local soup kitchen
- Watch Christmas movies
- Build a gingerbread house
- Burn a yule log
- Listen to your favorite holiday music – choose an album that will be your favorite year after year
- Make eggnog or mulled wine
- Make peppermint hot chocolate
- Make Christmas sugar cookies
- Cut paper snowflake garlands
- Make holiday cards
5. Create your Holiday Schedule
Think of the holiday season as beginning on December 1st and ending on January 2nd. Grab your calendar or print out my original (and free) “Holiday of My Dreams” Planning Guide below.
Next, make a list of activities you want to do and events you want to attend. Avoid overscheduling by prioritizing your favorite activities and spreading them throughout the month.
Saying “NO” is huge! It’s okay to say no.
- First, fill in all of your regular obligations.
- Next, add any parties or social commitments.
- Finally, fill in your calendar with the traditions you have chosen to create the holidays of your dreams.
CONCLUSION
Thinking positively and making a conscious and intentional plan for your holiday season is the best way to create a peaceful holiday season for you and your family.
- DEFINE THE HOLIDAY OF YOUR DREAMS – Visualize your ideal holiday season.
- NOTICE YOUR TRIGGERS – What do you want to avoid?
- YOUR SENSES LEAD THE WAY – Know your body and plan to prevent overstimulation.
- DECIDE ON YOUR TRADITIONS – What activities will make this the holiday of your dreams?
- CREATE YOUR HOLIDAY SCHEDULE – Finalize your plans!
Click on the image below to download your free “holiday of my dreams” planning guide. Simply submit your email address and then check your inbox for a quick link to your instant download. Leave a comment below to share your secrets for a peaceful holiday season.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
