How long do you keep your Halloween and fall decorations up for? Do they last until the end of November and Thanksgiving? Or do you change everything over to the winter holiday season on November 1st? 

I love putting holiday season decor up as early as possible. But, our home represents the former, partially because I live with people that are “camp wait until after Thanksgiving to put holiday decor up.” They want the magic of the winter holiday season to stay in winter and not in fall. While I want the winter magic to last as long as possible.

I want to savor the winter holiday vibes in my own quiet home, without the noise and hurry of holiday season obligations. Not to say that the holiday obligations – parties, family gatherings, kids concerts, service opportunities, etc. – are not wholesome and good. Rather they have a tendency to creep into schedule and space such that the home starts to become a place of necessary respite, rather than one of unhurried enjoyment. 

But it would be silly of me to only depend on the timeline of holiday decorations to dictate when I get the unhurried enjoyment moments of the holiday season. Instead, if I know this might be a tendency of the season (despite my husben’s best “no” efforts), then I must be intentional to find other ways to avoid holiday season burnout. 

Here are my three ways to avoid holiday burnout.

One: the practical – just say no.

I’ll be the first to say that I am admittedly bad at this. If there is a free spot in my schedule, I will likely fill it. I enjoy the hustle and bustle and think that the woman who could do it at 24, can keep doing it nearly 10 years later with home and toddler in tow. Spoiler: I can’t.

I have to learn to say “no.” I have to intentionally leave space in the schedule so I have emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical capacity to enjoy what has already been committed to. 

How to say no

But saying no is easier said than done. There is peer pressure, internal pressure, FOMO, YOLO, and whatever other catchphrase you want to use. And, generally the idea that I will miss something if I don’t go or let someone else down.

All of which are very real and valid. Will I miss out on something? Yes. Will I miss an opportunity to connect with ___? Yes. Does it mean I will never have that experience or opportunity again? No. 

I have learned I can say “no” and still experience (in part) the thing I said no to. If I can’t make it to a dinner or a party, how can I connect with the people I wanted to chat with at the party in a different way? Can I jump on a call with them? Go on a walk with them? 

It might take more creativity and effort doing life this way, but it will ensure I am not overburdening myself and schedule in a way that will fast track me to burnout. 

Pro tip: If you set your priorities for the holidays before they begin (i.e. family > friends or less travel), that will help you say no with more confidence.

Two: Set aside you time.

This might be hard and maybe even seem impossible. But I’m not talking about a whole weekend of self-care, spa included. I’m talking about 5 minutes in your day where you just sit in silence and have an unhurried and uninterrupted moment. 

Maybe it’s in between work tasks when you take an extra 5 minutes to stretch and take a few deep breaths. Perhaps after your lunch break, you take a quick walk outside. Maybe it’ll have to be before everyone else in the house wakes up, like me. Likely it won’t happen every day, but can there be a commitment to happen every other day or just on the weekends for 10 minutes?

I promise you, it’ll make a difference.

Three: Practice gratitude

It’s funny how the holiday season is labeled as one of gratitude, and yet somehow tends to be the one where we also struggle to be grateful. Except for that little bit of time right before the large meal and everyone goes around saying two things they’re thankful for.

Yet it’s been proven that gratitude and a posture of contentment rewires our brains to see through a different lens. It helps us hold the tension of hard and good at the same time. It doesn’t negate the hard, but it invites the opportunity to see good too. To be able to say, “this is hard and this week is very full. And I’m grateful that I get to see these people and have a little extra time with them too.”

Practicing gratitude is a sure way to help avoid the burnout by focusing on what is good rather than just what is draining. 

Gratitude Freebie

To help us practice gratitude this month, I’ve included a free downloadable PDF to help you write out one gratitude statement per day for the month of November. Bonus, it’ll fit perfectly in your planner envelope so you can keep track of it and have it with you through the rest of 2024.

I’m not saying that by following these three principles, you’ll magically avoid all burnout this holiday season. However, I do wonder how it might change our outlook or heart feelings around the busy season. 

To help turn these principles into individualized practice for your own lifestyle and upcoming holiday season, grab your free “Holiday Prep Guide” download. It includes a summary of this blog post, the three principles, and blank space for you to write out your priorities, schedule “you time” and a direct link to our gratitude freebie. 

With joy & gratitude for you,

Valerie

PS: if this style of thinking and intentionality is your cup of tea, then you will love our 2025 Kindred Planner which has this style of reflection and planning rolled into one aesthetic paper good.