Easy Christmas Ideas to Take the Stress out of the Season

It’s almost Christmas. Y’ALL, how is it ALMOST ALREADY CHRISTMAS?! This season seems to get shorter every year with all the demands placed upon us, from trying to achieve Pinterest-worthy decor to sending picture-perfect holiday cards to wanting to give the perfect gifts to ALL THE PEOPLE… whew, deep breaths, the expectations can be a bit overwhelming, and I’m right there with you if you feel like you’re just barely keeping it together. I’m here to tell you one truth I’ve learned over the years: it’s okay to simplify and LET GO of the extra stuff and lean into the traditions that mean the most. Because Christmas isn’t supposed to be stressful, it’s supposed to be a celebration!

There is such FREEDOM in truly appreciating the small things because they end up being the big things. Freedom in letting the magic happen organically and not be forced to create it (I’m looking at you, overly complicated DIY wrapping paper tutorial on Pinterest.) Freedom in truly focusing on the REASON for the season.

Case in point: our advent calendar. There’s so many great ideas out there but I pulled out our homemade Advent calendar from 2014 and filled the bags with these EASY advent activities (and laughed HARD when I realized ‘pancakes for dinner’ was listed twice, that is SO us!) Every morning my kids run downstairs to reveal that day’s activity, whether it’s watching a Christmas movie together or making a gift for grandma, and then work on it together. It’s helped slow down time and bring some sparkle to our day. Pure magic, I tell you!

With November being a truly incredible month for the blog and our Young Living team, we’ve been overcome by gratitude and felt a deep need to serve. So instead of focusing on hanging the stockings perfectly or getting the ribbon curls on the tree just right (“SIX INCH RIBBON CURLS, HONEY. SIX. INCHES.”) we’ve been serving others. I think it’s an important message for my kiddos, since they’ve been given so much.

For example, we got a flocked, pre-lit tree for our entryway. Honestly I wouldn’t have to add a single thing for it to be beautiful, but a few pearl/ gold/ silver ornaments and a bit of ribbon and it was decorated in under 15 minutes. SIMPLE. If you’re feeling stressed by ‘stuff’, consider getting a tree and adding only lights and paper stars or snowflakes. It will look beautiful!

our flocked tree, we have the 10′ height

With all that in mind, and because we’ve been busy truly embracing the season, I decided to take a trip down memory lane and reinvigorate the easiest, most time-saving Christmas ideas from the blog to help you spend more time with those you love and less time peeling the hot glue off your fingers. 😉

And if you need permission to skip all the DIY stuff and just sit with a mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows and simply scroll, you’ve got it. It’s so deserved.

Easy DIY Christmas Ideas & Timesavers

Go grab yourself a bunch of filler flowers from Trader Joes and BOOM, you’re done with holiday centerpieces in minutes flat.

Make Ahead Christmas Morning Breakfast Recipes because you have better things to do then spend hours cooking breakfast… like nap after all that gift giving and opening and wrapping-paper cleanup duty.

These 15 timesaving holiday organization ideas will make holiday prep and cleanup a breeze.

Okay, so maybe these Peppermint Bath Bombs aren’t super ‘quick’, but this is a fun DIY project with kids and they smell amazing!

Throw together a couple of ingredients and you’ve got our popular Santa’s Little Helper punch recipe.

Chocolate dipped pretzels are easy to make and always a hit (even back in 2012, when I wrote this post!)

Handmade Winter Sugar Scrub is just as good for yourself as it is to give as a gift. Don’t forget your self-care this season, friends.

Mason jars + fairy lights + some faux snow to cover the battery box= glorious!

No time to make cookies? Here’s a minty brownie mix hack that’s super easy to make yet tastes like it’s from scratch (but, dare I say, better?)

Let GO of the guilt and take back dinner time when you make these yummy dinners using shredded rotisserie chicken. SUCH a timesaver.

Still have gifts on your list to buy? No worries! Here ya’ go: our curated gift guides for everyone on your list.

Snow days in the forecast? Whip up a crockpot full of delicious hot chocolate for a crowd!

Easy does it, my friends! I’m letting so much go this season and it’s been glorious. Our social calendar is booked with seeing friends and family and I couldn’t be more grateful to spend time with them instead of stressing over the Christmas cards which might get mailed before New Years, maybe.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this dream possible. I’m truly beyond grateful for you!!