Christmas: Presence Over Presents

The holidays have a way of turning us into frantic elves—wrapping, shopping, decorating, baking, stressing. It’s easy to confuse “holiday spirit” with “holiday exhaustion.”

But if you peel back the tinsel, Christmas has always been about presence—not presents. It’s about slowing down enough to notice the glow of the lights, the warmth of connection, the stillness of winter nights.

This year, give yourself permission to:

• Opt out of the overwhelm. You don’t have to attend every event or buy into every expectation.

• Make meaning, not just lists. Traditions aren’t sacred because they’re elaborate—they’re sacred because they’re shared.

• Choose presence. Put down the phone. Sit by the tree. Drink the cocoa. Listen to the carols even if you’ve heard them a thousand times.

Christmas doesn’t need more sparkle—it needs more soul. You don’t have to buy your way into a magical holiday. You can be the magic, just by showing up fully where you are.