Whether you’re celebrating your first Christmas as a new family or navigating the holidays as empty nesters, this series is packed with festive ideas! I’ll share my best Christmas secrets, as a Christmas-loving “Christmas minimalist,” from decorating and baking to gift-giving, tailored to every season of life.
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At the time I’m writing this, my husband has been gone for nearly a week. (He comes home today!) I decided to use this time home alone to hunker down and get some work done on my blog.
If you’re new here, you may not realize I’ve been writing here at Bildirimlerim off and on for over 14 years! What started as a little hobby of writing diary-style posts about fixing up the old historic home we were living in has grown into a full-time job for me. More than 1,000 posts live on this site, including recipes, decorating ideas, crafts, and stories.
I still love it, and I’m tired, too…!! ;) That’s the truth of life I’m learning lately. We can experience two completely opposite emotions at the same time, and that’s okay and normal.
I desperately wanted to get ahead so I wouldn’t be scrambling each day to put together content that might help you, and my thoughts turned to the upcoming Christmas season.
Every year, for all these years, I’ve tried to put together fun ideas and inspiration for Christmas for you, my readers. Christmas is, after all, my very favorite season of all!
But this year it feels different. Not in a bad way, just different.
I’m in a totally different season of life than I was the first time I wrote about Christmas. Instead of a house full of three busy boys and frantically crafting to make money for Christmas gifts, it’s now just the two of us. Every year for the past 33 years (this year will be the 34th!), I’ve put my hands and feet to work creating a cozy Christmas home with memory-making traditions.
But as I was lying in bed this morning pondering Christmas, I realized something I’d never thought of before…
Confessions of a Christmas Minimalist
I’m a Christmas minimalist.
Not in the sense that I only like it a little bit or only in small doses. Not at all! I love everything about Christmas…
But I don’t have the patience to spend a lot of time on the actual Christmas decorations, cooking, or baking. And for 33 years, I’ve always limited my “Christmas decor” to 2 plastic totes. I’m convinced that’s what has kept me sane all these years! ;)
Crafting Christmas to Fit Our Current Season of Life
As I get older, the idea of shopping for more things or the latest “trendy” Christmas item holds less and less appeal. The truth is, I already have things I love to use and systems that work for us. Why do I feel the need to reinvent the wheel every year? And if I tried to do all the Christmas baking I used to do even 10 years ago, our blood sugar would not be happy about it! (tee hee)
That gave me the idea for a little mini series here called “Christmas Through the Seasons of Life.”
I decided that this year, as I share fun Christmas ideas, it would also be fun to look back and write down the things I’ve learned over the past three decades. Some lessons were hard-learned through hilarious mishaps, and others came from studying tips and tricks from people around me.
So stay tuned! Each day this week, a new post will go up in hopes that it helps you plan a cozy Christmas, too, no matter what stage of life you’re in!
How to Get the Most Out of These Christmas Secrets Through the Years
As you read the posts in this series, I’d like you to think about your current season of life and what your desires and wishes for Christmas are. Ultimately, what your Christmas traditions look like in your home this year will be based on your choices.
There’s no wrong or right way! I caution against comparison and trying to do everything exactly the way others do. That can start to feel hectic and exhausting pretty quickly.
Instead, choose what sounds fun and doable for you and your family, and remember that at any point, you can change your mind!! Simplify if you start to feel overwhelmed. Or, if you’re an empty nester who’s bored, maybe it’s time to step it up and look for new traditions that sound fun!
More Christmas Posts
I’ll list all the posts below once they’re finished, but until then, here are a few more Christmas posts you might enjoy.
- When the Christmas budget is tight: gift ideas and budget tips for a fabulous season of celebrating, even when the bank account is small.
- I created a free printable Christmas planner to help you plan all the details!
- From Christmas cookies to Christmas dinner side dishes, find the whole collection of Christmas recipes.
- Feeling crafty? Here are some DIY Christmas decorations.
- Would you rather listen than read? Here’s a Christmas podcast you might enjoy.
All the Christmas Posts in This Mini Series
- Choose a Christmas Tree: Which one should I pick?
- Christmas Color Scheme ideas: how to choose one, plus some popular examples.
- Crafty Christmas Tree Decorating and decor ideas
- Christmas Tablescapes to help set a cozy scene.
- Christmas Cookie Traditions to enjoy with family or friends.
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