It’s the first week of December, and it’s…quiet. Too quiet.
There are no festive holiday parties on the calendar. No tickets for Handel’s Messiah concerts. No neighborhood tree lightings. Hearing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” in the grocery store brings up low-grade anxiety, and even holiday sales have lost their luster. (SO. MANY. EMAILS.)
What’s left to look forward to in a season that looks different (and kinda disappointing)?
It might feel like the true answer to this question is nothing.
But I am convinced that there are still things we can do that will make this holiday season a little brighter. There might be a lot we can’t control (like, so much). But we do still have agency in some things. The way we decorate? The food we make? The music we play?
These things might be small – a recipe here, a cozy candle there – but they can still shift our moods out of full-on Grinch mode and help our hearts grow at least half a size.
So I’m going to do my darndest to bring a little cheer to this season. Want to join me?
Then I can’t wait for you to read this post.
Welcome to the Joyful Holidays at Home Guide!
The full guide includes 6 categories: wear, decorate, eat, read, listen, and plan. You’re currently reading the sneak peek version of this guide – you’ll get the inside scoop on the wear and decorate categories first.
If you love what you see, sign up for my email list here! You’ll get the full version – including books, recipes, and playlists – sent to you ASAP!
Each category includes a question to ask yourself as you begin the Christmas season. These questions will make celebrating feel doable and fun. For an extra infusion of joy, you’ll also find links and resources to get you started.
I had so much fun putting this together, and I hope it brings a little extra cheer into your holidays.
Let’s jump in!
Full disclosure: there are some affiliate links in here. Purchasing anything via one of these links sends a small commission my way but does not raise the cost for you. Thank you for supporting my work!
What to WEAR for joyful holidays at home
Do you have comfy, cozy clothes that still feel festive?
Even if you aren’t traipsing to all the holiday events this year, it’s still fun to feel a little holly-jolly. If you’re in the market for holiday-at-home clothing, here’s an outfit idea that feels seasonal but comfy. Bonus: these pieces can mix with infinite other items in your closet.
– Drapey long cardigan. Ugh, this is my favorite category of clothing. I adore knee-length duster cardigans – it’s like wearing a blanket.
– Faux-leather leggings. If you want to feel a little swanky but still be wearing stretchy pants, these are the ticket. Don’t worry – they aren’t too shiny! I find these to fit snug, so I’d size up.
– Plaid flannel. Because Christmas, hello. I have and love this ruffle-neck version.
Other combos? Pair the long cardigan with a white tee and a plaid scarf. Tuck the flannel into jeans. Pop on your favorite tunic-length sweater over the leggings. Cute, right?
How to DECORATE for joyful holidays at home
Perhaps 94% of you have already started decorating for the holidays? But if you have yet to pull out the garland, here are two questions that have made decorating wayyyyyy easier for me.
1. What expectations can you release?
Instagram and Pinterest give us all sorts of wonky expectations for seasonal decorating. Maybe you, too, believe that you must have holly jolly holiday decorations festooning every surface by Black Friday. And that makes you turn into a stress monster if you don’t have the budget or the time to hang a wreath in every single one of your windows.
It’s okay. It really is.
I LOVE Christmas decorating. But as much as I would love to have featured-in-Country-Living holiday decor, it’s just not going to happen. We’ve got limited cash and just about zero extra storage space. And I’m still learning that it’s really all right.
Let’s examine my imperfect decorating from last year, shall we? Instead of getting a full-size tree, I bought a miniature live Christmas tree from the Home Depot because we already had tiny ornaments and it was $14. I was so proud of how thrifty I was being! Plus, we had a live tree we could toss out in January! There was just one problem: I didn’t realize exactly how small that tree was until I got it into our apartment. It was laughably tiny. We perched it on a stool and called it the Christmas shrub.
But we strung some fairy lights on it and tucked some miniature ornaments between the branches, and the Christmas season still went on! We survived! Even with the world’s scruffiest tree!
Decorations are great, but they are not the be-all-end-all of the Christmas season.
So give yourself a little grace. Would it make your life easier to decorate slowly over the month of December? To buy a tabletop tree instead of a full-sized one? To choose just a few places to decorate rather than sprinkling holiday-themed clutter over every single surface? To shop thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace and swap groups so you don’t exceed your budget?
Do what makes sense for you. The Decorating Police will not arrest you.
2. Where can you add wintery touches that can stay all season long?
If you’re into Santa-themed everything, don’t let me cramp your style. But if you’re looking for something different, consider how you can set your space for winter first. It will make you really happy on December 26 – you won’t have to rip down all of your decorations the second Christmas ends, and your space will still feel seasonally appropriate for the rest of winter. (If you love this idea, Myquillin Smith talks a lot about it in her new book Welcome Home!)
Personally, here’s how I’ve started decorating:
– Adding cozy textures, like these cable knit throw pillows.
– Upping the gentle lighting. The fairy lights have made their first appearance! We’ve also been enjoying these flameless LED candles paired with these wooden bases – I’m planning to use them all through the dark and dreary winter months.
– Mixing a little sparkle, especially from mercury glass. I’ll be trying this DIY on some plain glass candlesticks I already have.
– Greenery. And not just the piney kind! The eucalyptus from Trader Joe’s feels festive but will last through the winter – plus it looks fine even when it dries out.
– Burning fresh but cozy candles. Thymes Fraser Fir candle is currently my go-to – it’s SO GOOD. It smells delightfully piney and burns super slow so the price is worth it. I also can’t wait to try the Citrus Spice wooden wick candle from Woodfire Candle Company – a small business from Duluth, MN!
We’re adding in bottle brush trees, garland, and a tree over the next few days!
Want even more ways to make your holidays at home extra joyful?
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