I recently listened to a podcast exploring the idea of having a “slow Christmas.” Many of us may be familiar with the slow living trend popular on social media, which includes having a mindset and lifestyle focused on low stress, self-reflection, and wasting less to foster simplicity and peace. The podcast hosts spoke of how we can apply these principles to the Christmas season, which notoriously is a time of busyness, consumerism, and a lack of quiet. As I listened, I was drawn to reflect on how the concept of slow living is very compatible with the true meaning of Christmas that we as Catholics are called to embrace.
Just think of the story of Jesus’ birth. It is marked by quiet, peace, and simplicity. Mary and Joseph spent the days leading up to the first Christmas slowly walking toward Bethlehem. The first Christmas party was not a large event but an intimate gathering of the Holy Family and some local shepherds. It was not held in a perfectly decorated venue with tinsel, plastic Santa figures, and elaborate appetizers. No, the first Christmas was in a stable, under the stars in perfect, calming silence. All of these realities serve as a reminder that Christmas is a sacred time for fostering simplicity and peace in our own lives and hearts.
St. Ambrose of Milan, speaking of Christmas, wrote: “Open your soul, throw open the depths of your heart to see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the sweetness of grace.”
So how can we seek to open our souls to greater simplicity during this season of Advent and Christmas?
This is where the tenets of “slow living” come to mind.
Low stress
Often our time is one of the most monopolized resources during the holiday season. We get caught up in our to-do lists of shopping, baking cookies, preparing for parties, and more. It’s easy to cut out our daily healthy rhythms of prayer time, exercise, and self-care so that we can get more done. However, in seeking to slow down this Christmas, we need to remember that cultivating a low-stress environment for ourselves and our families by maintaining some order in our lifestyle will ultimately lead to a celebration that is grounded in the true spirit of Christmas.
Self-reflection
Personally, I find it so easy to jump on the train of various traditions or trends around Christmas time, which only leads to me feeling more busy and overwhelmed. Reflecting on why we do what we do can be a powerful way to simplify our holidays. This may include looking at the money we are spending on gifts, the events we commit to attending, or even how we decorate. Ask yourself what the motivation and purpose is behind your actions. Do they truly lead you and those around you to experience the treasures of peace and the sweetness of grace?
Wasting less
This is something that calls for a more practical plan, going hand in hand with low stress and self-reflection. It can be challenging, though, as our culture encourages excess as the norm, especially around Christmas. Here are some ways that I have gently tried to encourage less waste in my own circles.
Using gift bags, newspaper, or fabric/fabric bags instead of wrapping paper: These options are all easy to reuse again and again. I’ve also seen it done where each person in a family has a Christmasy box or bag where all their presents are placed under the tree, which is used over and over again each year. Not only do you save money, but you also avoid the mess of ripped-up paper!
Normalizing homemade, secondhand, or non-material gifts: There are so many beautiful secondhand options to be found in thrift stores, antique shops, or even on Etsy. Last year, I gave my extended family a batch of cranberry-orange Christmas rolls, which were a big hit. And non-material gifts like a zoo membership for kids, tickets to a sports game or concert, or even an online retreat or course not only are waste-free but also encourage quality time.
Planning around food: If you are always struggling with too many leftovers after family Christmas gatherings or parties, try finding some good leftover recipes ahead of time to prepare. It is a tradition in our family to make turkey soup the day after Christmas and to eat pumpkin pie for breakfast. Also, don’t be afraid to claim un-eaten goods after a work party to save them from going bad in the office fridge.
At the end of the day, the most important thing for simplifying our Christmas season is that we turn our eyes to Jesus. We remember that he came to us as a peaceful little child, undistracted by the world and its cares. Let us pray that we can enter into the mystery of Christ during this season:
Jesus, I ask you for the grace to open my soul to you this Christmas. I pray that I may embrace the riches of simplicity and the treasure of peace, especially when I am tempted by materialism and business. I want to love you and those around me more by embracing a less wasteful and less stressful season. Mother Mary, be with me. Amen.
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