We're All Minimizing Something: How to Choose a Meaningful Holiday

Nine times out of 10, when I tell people what I write about, they say "I could never be a minimalist."  Or "That would just be too hard."  Or "I could never give up my _____."  Or possibly, "I wouldn't want to limit myself."

But here's the truth we hide from:  We're all minimizing something, whether we realize it or not.

Every day, we make choices about how we'll spend our time, energy, money, attention, talents, affections, and more.  These important assets are all finite.  Even the richest or most talented person has a limit on his or her time and attention.  No one can have or do everything.

So every day, we have to decide how we're going to use these precious resources.  And every choice is a trade-off.  If I say yes to doing or buying or listening to one thing, I have to say no to something else.  If I choose more possessions, I have to give up something else.  If I choose more work, I can't do something else.

The cumulative result of our choices determines the course of our lives.

This can be a hard truth to face, because we can't turn back the clock and fix our less-than-optimal choices.  What we can do is become more intentional, starting today.

Decide what you'll minimize.

When it comes to the holidays, our culture pushes hard for us to have and do it all.  We're convinced that we can't have a happy holiday if we don't splurge on gifts, décor, food, and drink.  We feel obligated to go to every concert,  craft show, and party, and to travel along with the millions that make this time of year the most crowded and stressful of all.

We choose to buy things no one needs because they're trendy, or on sale, or because we "have" to get something for Uncle Ted.  We choose to eat more calories than we need, or food that's not healthy, instead of filling up on more nourishing options.  In addition to work and normal daily chores, we add extra tasks and activities to each day, leaving less energy, attention, and patience for the people we say we care about.

These actions might be unconsidered, driven by habit or other forces, rather than intentional.  But when we maximize one thing, we are by definition minimizing something else.

It's time to face this truth and become conscious.  Are we making choices to maximize things that really matter?  Things with lasting value?  Things that add meaning?  Will we reach the end of the year and be glad we minimized some things so we could focus on others?  Or will we sigh and accept our increased clutter, debt, weight, and possibly strained relationships?

You might not realize it, but there's a correlation between how much you buy and do this Christmas and how much time, money, energy, and attention you have for other things.  You're already a minimalist.  You're already putting limits on some areas in order to have more for others.  It's time to face that truth, and figure out if you're really happy about how you're choosing to do it.  You can design a personal minimalist holiday that lets you focus on what brings you joy.

Your money

Even if you've already begun your holiday shopping, it's not too late to create a budget for your money.  If you're anything like me, you tend to hope you'll have enough money, and if you feel like you've overspent, there's always the credit card.  Problem?  Holiday shopping isn't an emergency (which really should be the only reason you whip out the plastic), and you have to pay eventually.  January always comes.

Think about all of your holiday spending categories:  gifts, travel, special foods, entertainment, the tree and other décor, special clothing, salon visits, donations, and anything else that comes to mind.  Don't forget the higher heating and electricity bills that come every winter.  List it all out, and estimate the cost of each thing.  Include everything you've already spent.

Add it all up.  (Okay....)

Look at the total.  (Ouch!)

Ask yourself these two questions:

• Can I really afford all of this?
• Is this really how I want to spend my money?

If your honest answer to either of those questions is no, go back to your list and organize it according to your priorities, most important category first.  Then begin eliminating from the bottom up until you can answer yes to both questions.  (It's okay to find a less expensive way of doing something in order to keep it on the list, if it's really important to you.)

Your time

If your calendar is usually crammed between now and New Year's, create a time budget the way you did your money budget.  List time demands, such as parties, holiday concerts, rehearsals for those concerts, extra shopping time (including online), baking and cooking holiday foods, volunteer activities, standing in lines and driving in traffic, extra cleaning, wrapping packages, addressing cards and mailing packages, hours at the airport, etc.  Don't forget your normal time commitments to your spouse, kids, friends, job, and other family members.

Look at your list of time demands and ask yourself two questions:

• Can I really manage all of this?
• Is this really how I want to spend my time?

If your honest answer to either of those questions is no, go back to your list and organize it according to your priorities, most important category first.  Then begin eliminating from the bottom up until you can answer yes to both questions.  (It's okay to delegate or find a more convenient way of doing something in order to keep it on the list, if it's really important to you.)

Know what matters.

If you've stayed with me, you've defined your personal minimalist holiday by choosing the things that are most important to you and eliminating the rest.  The items you deleted are the ones you probably do year after year even though they add to your stress and your debt and you get little or no enjoyment from them.  The items that remain on your money and time budgets are the ones that matter the most to you, the ones that add the most meaning to your holiday celebration.

Look at your lists one more time to see how you've chosen to spend your money and time, and what you've chosen to minimize.  Now you can focus on a Christmas with more joy and less fuss.

If this post was helpful to you, or you forwarded it to a friend because you think they'll get something from it, please consider purchasing my newest book, A Simpler Christmas.  It's packed with even more ideas to make your holiday simpler and happier.

And don't forget about the Candlelight & Comfort Bundle on sale until this Saturday, November 8.  If you're at all interested in 

• slow living
• staying cozy at home
• baking
• making homemade soups
• meal planning
• using herbal remedies
• journaling
• writing letters
• spending money with attention and care
• and even more

... you will just love this bundle put together by my friend Kathie Lapcevik (from homespunseasonalliving.com) and some of her talented and knowledgeable friends.

The bundle features 19 ebooks, printables, and assorted resources from a group of simple living, cozy-hearted creators.  The cost is $25, and would make a lovely gift for a friend, or even for yourself.  Use this link, and I'll earn a small commission on the sale, at no extra cost to you.