self-care during the holidays december 2024

Self-care is a necessary, yet sometimes elusive, aspect of the holiday season. Whether it’s busyness and overwhelm, or grief and loneliness, the holidays can take a toll on your well-being and make it difficult to stay grounded. 

Here are some self-care ideas for the holidays that are more than bubble baths and massages:

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• Making your weeks go as smoothly as possible by focusing on routines that help you feel organized and prepared. Examples are getting your outfit ready the night before, programming your coffee to auto-brew in the morning, having an idea about what you’re going to do about meals and/or food to bring to holiday parties, using a calendar or planner to keep up with events, arranging child care well ahead of time if needed, doing grocery delivery instead of braving the stores, etc.

• Being honest with yourself about your budget for the holidays. Overspending or using credit can be stressful in the moment and definitely after the holidays when you are facing financial insecurity. Stay in tune with feelings and beliefs about your worth and acceptance being tied to gift-giving or social activities.

• Being gentle with yourself if you are battling depression or other mental health issues during the holidays. The pressure to be merry! and happy! and social! can bring on major FOMO or feeling down about yourself. Keep in mind that things may look completely different next year, that it’s okay to have a not-stellar holiday season,  and that you can choose to be kind to yourself. There are more people in the same boat than you realize.

• Honoring your feelings about seeing certain people during the holidays. If there is potential for conflict or feeling uncomfortable or unsafe with someone, acknowledge that and give yourself permission to alter plans to protect yourself emotionally if needed.

• And of course, making time to get the support you need by getting counseling, calling close friends, going to a support group, or planning get-togethers with people who make you feel safe, seen and heard.

The main point is to stay connected to your needs and use courage to honor those needs, even when our culture tries to dictate the type of experience you have during the holidays. 

Wishing you magical or super chill, or anywhere in between holidays. Whichever way you are feeling called to experience this season, take care of yourself.