By: LUMO Leaders
‘Tis the season, y’all. But is it? Is it really?
Sarah here. My husband, Matt, and I were commenting about how fun Halloween was this year. He asked, “Is it me, or has Halloween become the world’s favorite holiday?” He’s not wrong. I noticed more than ever, people were going big with Halloween. Costumes, yard decorations, street parties… It was all out here in the Queen City. Every year we trick or treat by my in-laws in South Charlotte where the streets are generally quiet and the living is easy. (Also, LOTS of houses with full-sized candy bars.) This year, a whole street was closed off in their neighborhood and there was a PAR-TAY. Kids and grown ups alike were going bananas. There was a coffee truck, a DJ, and an adult pinata that gave airplane sized bottles of liquor.
Once the unbridled fun of Halloween is over, we dive headfirst into the “real” holidays. You know, the ones that really give us stress. This is where it starts to get a little sticky and tight for people. Family traditions, both great and not great, are brought out in all their glory. Challenging conversations around travel logistics, finances, and menus must be had and, quite often, those conversations are happening inside challenging familial relationships. And on top of the usual holiday hubbub, all people can talk about is the supply chain disruption! LUMO Founding Member Sheila Storrer is all in a dither because of the turkey shortage.
But I’m here in your inbox to remind you that a roasted bird does NOT a holiday make.
We are capable of creating our own holiday magic, supply chain disruptions and pandemics be damned. To support you this holiday season, LUMO has created a list of our *TOP TEN TIPS* for not just surviving the holidays, but actually having a fabulous and festive time!
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Set an intention for your holidays with your kiddos/partner/family/roomies. What kind of experience do you want to have? Commit to that!
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Say “NO!” to anything that doesn’t align with #1. #holdthoseholidayboundaries
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Link your values with your traditions. For example, if you value quality time, create experiences to enjoy with friends and family. Paint pots, make cards, wrap presents together, go for a drive to see decorations… Whatever fills you and your peeps with holiday cheer.
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Ask your kids what’s important to them. You might be surprised by what matters most to them. Sometimes the things that take up all of our time and energy aren’t very important to our kids. Doh!
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Dare to do less. The year I went to a buffet for Thanksgiving dinner was the best year ever. No planning, no cooking, no dishes. Never have I felt so rested after a holiday! Since then I’ve always looked for the shortcuts, whether it’s pre-made pies or buying fewer presents or skipping the wrapping paper entirely.
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If you celebrate Christmas, try a fake tree. You can put it up when you want, take it down when you want, save a live tree, spare yourself the bicker fests that come with wrestling a live tree through narrow doorways… and save some money! Win-win-win-win! 2020 was so depressing that when my daughter asked to put up the tree in early November I joyfully agreed, and never worried for a minute that it would be dead by Christmas.
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Stay committed to the experience YOU want to have. Spending time with family always brings out the best in us. (Right?!) BUT sometimes, over the holidays, old patterns or triggering behaviors rear their head ugly heads. Remember that you can’t control the behavior of others. You can only control your own. Let that B.S. go, move on, go about your joyful holiday business.
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Put structures into place that ensure that YOU have a happy holiday. Make plans with a workout buddy so you don’t skip workouts during the busy season, use an excel spreadsheet to track lists and budgets, set aside time to rest and replenish yourself, etc.
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If you don’t wanna, you don’t have to. LUMO guiding principle here y’all. Just because you are good at something doesn’t mean you have to do it. Delegate, hand-off, hire out, bribe the children… you don’t have to do everything!
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No matter what holiday you celebrate, buy yourself a gift from you. Wrap it up nice, pop it under the tree, act surprised when it appears in your lap. You 100% deserve it. The End.
With bells on,
Sarah and the LUMO team
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