The holiday season is, without a doubt, my favourite time of the year.
The sights, the smells, the magical feeling in the air. Love.it.all. While I try and hold myself back from heading into full-blown Christmas mode until the first of December, I’m usually more than ready to go by around mid-November. What can I say? I’m a sucker for the Christmas spirit.
That being said, I know not everyone shares my enthusiasm. Heck, there are times where even I don’t share my enthusiasm. The holidays can be a lonely and stressful time, making the idea of holiday cheer nothing more than wishful thinking. Thankfully, there are things we can do to help ourselves get into a more festive mood, so I thought I’d share some of my favourite ways to foster up the Christmas spirit.
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1. Decorate your home/room/space…
Hang garlands, lights, and wreaths… bust out the snowmen and reindeer… put up the tree — fill your outer world with all things Christmas and your inner world will follow suit. Throw on some Christmas music, bake up a batch of cookies, and make it an event by involving family or friends. I dare you to not feel festive after that. Heck, I double dare you.
2. Listen to Christmas music… and sing along!
There’s nothing like a bit of music to help get you the mood (mind’s outta the gutter, people!). Toss in your favourite Christmas cd (Mr.Buble’s is mine) while you’re bumming around your house or driving in your car and you’ll have a hard time avoiding the Christmas cheer. Bonus points — sing along! Singing has been shown to help lift a bad mood, so while you may have to fake your way through Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls, you should be feeling a lot more cheery by the time All I Want For Christmas comes along.
3. Watch Christmas movies…
There’s nothing better than curling up on the couch on a dark snowy night with the tree lit up and a Christmas movie playing on TV. Some of my favourites include: Elf, Love Actually, A Christmas Carol, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone, The Holiday, and The Man Who Saved Christmas. And if you don’t have any movies in your collection, ABC will gladly help you out with its 25 Days of Christmas holiday movie marathon (how I wish I had cable!).
4. Bake!…
Christmas and cookies go hand in hand. Snickerdoodles, gingerbread, thumbprints, shortbread, snowballs, sugar cookies… the options are endless. Not only can the act of baking leave you feeling more festive, but a batch of homemade cookies makes a great gift as well! Make it an event by inviting your friends or family over for a cookie baking party, and take the treats in to work or school to share with coworkers and classmates.
5. Enjoy special seasonal treats…
‘Tis the season for candy canes, gingerbread, egg nog, and brightly packaged chocolate — take full advantage and enjoy it. There are certain treats that only come out around this time of the year (the jam-filled gingerbread hearts are among my favourites) so they automatically get associated with the holidays and evoke good memories of Christmases past.
6. Get crafty…
Whether you want to build a gingerbread house, make a wreath, or put together a store-bought craft set, the holidays are a great time to get creative. Not only do DIY projects make meaningful gifts, but DIY decorations add a lovely personal touch to your home. And if you don’t know what to make, check out Pinterest for some amazing inspiration or hit up Michael’s for some fun craft kits.
7. Send out Christmas cards…
Spreading the holiday cheer is a great way to start feeling more festive yourself, so take some time out of your day to sit down and write cards to your family and friends. We live in an age where technology allows us to instantly connect with people who are halfway around the world, but there’s just something more magical about good old-fashioned snail mail.
8. Give…
The holidays are a time of giving, not only to family and friends, but to those who are less fortunate as well. Whether you donate old coats, toys, food, or time, look for charities to support, either in your area or online. One of my favourites is Operation Christmas Child — a project that sends shoeboxes packed with essential items to children around the world that have been affected by war, poverty, disaster, and disease.
9. Head out to the malls…
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While this may not be for everyone, heading out to the malls can be a great way to feel more festive. The beautiful decorations, the gift sets, the Christmas music, and the busied excitement of others can help contribute to your own holiday spirit. Yes, it’s true that Christmas has become a little too commercial, but you don’t necessarily have to buy anything — just feed off the festive atmosphere.
10. Check out holiday events in your town…
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Most places begin hosting special holiday events in late November, and attending these is a great way to build up some holiday cheer. Light displays, festival of trees, plays, ballets, concerts, dinners, holiday parties — check out what your area has to offer and make the most of it!
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What are some ways that you get into the Christmas spirit?
Do you send out Christmas cards?
What food do you associate most with this time of the year?
I love love love visiting light displays. There’s an amusement park nearby that has an event all December and there’s another drive around light display i like to go to!
I’ve done all this except for “get crafty”. I am sooooooooo not crafty! Hehehe!
That shopping centre….is that even real? I have a couple of friends in Dubai at the moment and they snapchatted me several pictures. Its like a Winter Wonderland there. Amidst the 100 degree heat!
I’ve never been one to get into the X mas spirit since getting older, but this post is convincing me to leave out some cookies and carrots and not be a young scrooge in the making.
To get into the Christmas spirit I love the ‘giving trees’ our shopping centres have where you pick a couple of ‘decorations’ which have ages on them of children and you pick gifts for them. Although what I liked as a 3 year old is probably VERY different to kids these days!
It is! Apparently it’s a shopping centre in Berlin. And omigosh — I tried buying toys for my 2 year old nephew and I had NO idea what to get him. Toys are definitely different, but thankfully a lot of them have age ranges written on them 😆
Love this! I’m incredibly excited about Christmas, so this weekend is going to be the launch of Operation: Christmas Spirit. Our apartment is tiny, so we only have room for a mini-tree — but damned if that mini-tree isn’t going to be decked out like (or more so than) its larger counterparts.
And hooray for Christmas movies — I love that you included Serendipity in the picture. It’s one of my faves (second only to Love Actually), but people rarely include it in the Christmas movie line-up. Well played! 🙂
I love having a Christmas candle to burn while enjoying ht chocolate, Christmas cookies and movies. I think that’s one of the many things that always gets me into the Christmas spirit! I love all of your ideas too!
Well, you basically just described my plans for the weekend. Minus the malls because we don’t have any around here ;). But maybe blasting Bublé a little longer and louder will make up for that – and yes, I’ve been listening to his tunes in November already. Sssh, don’t tell.
Tomorrow my parents and I have another one of our favourite family ‘traditions’ planned: seeing a local theatre group’s Christmas play. It’s not one of the usual Christmas stories but always something a little extraordinary and alternative.
Maybe it’s odd but aside from gingerbread and other cookies the one food I associate with this season is my grandma’s ‘Rotkohl’. It’s red cabbage prepared a special way with apples and certain spices. Ridiculously addictive.
Somehow my family has never been into Christmas cards but I plan on sending out another pile of snail mail to blends :). Oh, and I wouldn’t mind a Christmas card from Canada, either [hint, hint] :).
No hints necessary! You were already on Santa’s “nice” list 😛
Decorating the tree definitely gets me in the Christmas spirit – maybe that’s why I haven’t been feeling it yet! It’s on the game plan for this weekend 🙂 Other things that I love doing are baking, dancing and singing to Christmas music, getting all bundled up and wrapping gifts! Gahhh— Love this time of year <3
I’m all about the decorations – the more trees and lights the better in my world!!
Great tips, Amanda! I get in the spirit by listening to Christmas-themed 8tracks and watching the burning log DVD!
Good ones! I’ve been all about the holiday tunes lately. I sing to Ethan when his belly hurts or when he doesn’t want to go to bed, and I think he kinda’ likes it. Of course, he’s still at the age where I can make up what he does and doesn’t like…
This makes me want to break out the decorations. Other than take some toys to a toy drive I haven’t done ANYTHING Christmas-y yet so I need to get on that. Every time I want to get in the mood, I put on Merry Christmas by N Sync. Works every time!
I am all about the holiday events! Tomorrow I’m going to a holiday bazaar at a local art museum and I can’t wait. I’m going to do a couple last minute Christmas gifts from local vendors, and sample local food and drinks too!
I ADORE Christmas movies and what about those holiday TV specials?! Kelly Clarkson has one this coming Wed that I’m pumped for!
I’ve been listening to Christmas music since before Thanksgiving but I use the fact that it came late this year as my excuse 🙂
The fact you own The Holiday and Serendipity makes me like you even mooooore! Two of my favorite movies! I definitely associate candy canes with Christmas (of course) along with lottery tickets. Every year my mom puts them in our stockings so it just seems normal to get them for me this time of year. And I think buying Christmas candles helps put you in the mood! Especially the pine-y, cranberry, cinnamon smells!
Love this! I’ve had such a difficult time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. With a struggling relationship, a sick grandpa & my parents not setting up a tree due to a remodel going on it doesn’t feel right.
But I will admit putting on some christmas tunes can help! It’s on my {lengthy} to-do list to write out my cards by MY christmas tree though!
I’m so sorry to hear that, Karla 🙁 Some years can definitely be harder than others. Sending my thoughts <3
yay! this post made me so happy – i’m a huge christmas girl! 🙂 my friends make fun of me bc i’ve been sending out 50+ christmas cards since we were 18 haha but i don’t care – everyone loves to get mail! 🙂 also feel ya on the mall trip, especially at night – super christmas-y! 🙂
50+?!? Oh girl… that’s seriously awesome!
All of the above, all of the above 🙂
I love decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving (in the US;))… it immediately makes it feel like the holidays. I also love going to look at Christmas lights while drinking hot tea and listening to Christmas music!
Love all these tips! I’ve decorated my apartment some, but can’t wait to go home to our Christmas-filled house and drink cocoa by our tree! There’s something so magical about the atmosphere and I’m hoping that time passes quickly so I can head on back. And girl, Michael is my main man when it comes to getting into theholiday spirit! 😉
Does Kyle know about that? 😉
Can’t wait to watch some Christmas movies later this month. There’s nothing better than snuggling up on the coach with some hot cocoa or fresh popcorn. Eek! Love this time of year!
I don’t send out cards, just give them to family when I see them on Christmas Day. And ham would probably be my #1 associated x-mas food. I could seriously eat it all day, every day.
LOVE the tree! And great choice in movies and music! 🙂
Love these tips:) We’re so much alike- eesh!:) I don’t understand how people can’t get in the Christmas spirit either. I know it’s hard for some people, but in my darkest days, Christmas was actually the one time of year I was able to forget everything. It sounds cheesy, but just cutting on the Christmas tree, turning on the Christmas music on the radio, and being in the house alone to bake a batch of fresh pumpkin cake, apple cinnamon muffins, or a yummy soup are all things that make me elated during this time of year. Going to look at lights is also a favorite, as is going to see a cheesy Christmas movie at the theaters with my family.
Sometimes, it’s nice to let’s Christmas make you forget all the other stuff and for one month, just feel like a kid again:) Great post<3!
I love all of these ideas so much and actually partake in all of them! Another way I love to get in the Christmas spirit is by seeing a Christmas show; like Nutcracker. I always send out cards…. they are so fun to give and receive, especially when they involve pictures. I associate snickerdoodles, peanut butter blossoms, little pecan pies and snowballs with Christmas. Since I’m iced in, I actually may end up baking some today.
I’m so excited to start doing Christmasy things this weekend! The only thing on your list I probably won’t do is go to the mall. I quit doing that a long time ago (unless I see something online I want immediately).
Brandon also got us tickets to go the Nutcracker so that should be fun.
Have a good weekend! 🙂
Have fun with your Christmas decorating this weekend! I try to avoid the malls as much as possible too, but I know it works for some people.
That Christmas tree is beautiful! I love the inclusion to give!
I don’t celebrate Xmas but I do enjoy the season for the most part…I love driving around to look at lights, I love the city during the holiday season and I totally attempted a gingerbread house with my son the other night.
Great ideas! I love decorating and putting up the Christmas tree with my family. I do listen to some Christmas music… but to be honest some of it is so terrible now! Haha I also love walking around and seeing all the different lights.
It’s so Christmas-y up in here! 😉 Definitely some great tips love. Christmas movies definitely got me in the spirit – i wasn’t really ‘feeling it’ until I saw a few Christmas movies last weekend…Jim Carrey as the Grinch always makes me feel Christmas-y 😉
And your tree is gorgeous! I love white lights on Christmas trees, it looks so classy. My tree is little and apartment-sized, but it does the trick.
I’ve never sent out Christmas cards before, but one or two may have made their way into the mail this year 😉
Confession: I love Christmas music…except Michael Buble. I actually cannot stand him :-S Mariah Carey, however…
Your comment about Christmas cards will make me overlook your comment about Michael Buble 😛 And way to make me feel like a slacker for not sending mine out yet!
This is cute. Pretty sure my whole week has consisted of…pretty much all of these things actually. I’ve been totally hit with the Christmas spirit this year and I’m not complaining one bit since I just love it.
I do need to send out some Christmas cards though. I love snail mail and being able to give some Christmas cards is always fun.
Happy Friday<3
YES to all of these ideas! They all easily get me into the Christmas spirit. Snow helps too, which we’ve had plenty of this week. 😉 I also like to host (and attend!) little Christmas parties/get togethers. Next week I’m hosting one for our MOPS group – we’re going to drink hot cocoa and decorate Christmas cookies with the kids. Should be fun!
We do send out Christmas cards – I LOVE sending them and receiving them. It gives us a good excuse to get a nice family photo, and I always love seeing photos of other dear friends and family around the country.
Flavors that remind me of this time of year: chocolate peppermint, gingerbread, pumpkin (yes, STILL!), and cranberry.
Last year, I wasn’t in the best of mind sets, so I wasn’t really feeling the Christmas spirit at the time. We didn’t even put up the tree…it wasn’t good. This year; however, I feel totally different and I’m really fall into the Christmas spirit. I think I’ll feel it even more when we put up the tree and decorate this weekend. Decorating, baking, listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies are my favorite ways to get into the Christmas spirit. I’m really looking forward to it this year!
It can definitely be harder to get into the spirit some years, but it’s great to hear that things are different this year. Have fun decorating!
I love all of the Christmas spirit around the blog world lately! I’m not that festive but I do soak up all of the sights, sounds, tastes, etc. I think baking christmas cookies helps me the most 🙂
So far I’ve only done four of these things….looks like I need to step up my Christmas game!! Especially the baking one–I’m so used to going home and having my mom bake Christmas cookies but this year that is not the case! Time to start baking my own 🙂
You are so gosh darn creative with that camera of yours! I love all the photos 🙂 I’m pretty great at being in the Christmas spirit, I must say, haha, but your tips are awesome! Love your tree, btw!
Decorating gingerbread houses is one of my favorite ways to get into the spirit. Also it just doesn’t feel right until the trees up!
I love filling shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child!
Today, I am getting into the Christmas spirit by helping to decorate the local Playhouse where I volunteer. Tonight I will be attending a tree lighting at an outdoor mall followed by a free screening of Elf. (I like smiling! Smiling’s my favorite!)
I do send out Christmas cards. I need to get going on those…
I most associate gingerbread with this time of year.
Have a wonderful weekend!
I ended up catching Elf on TV last night, and that quote is seriously one of my favourite. And YES to all things gingerbread — I haven’t been able to get enough lately!
Ohh, Operation Christmas Child is so close to my heart. Nice to see you give them a shout out. I used to organize this every year throughout high school for every homeroom, and then had my students do boxes as well while teaching Calgary. Lovelovelove that organization.
I also love this post! It’s been 35 degrees most days this week in Brisbane, so I’ve been struggling to get into the holiday spirit, despite playing Raffi Christmas for Thomas every day. I think a a few Christmas movie marathons are required!!!!
I too, love this time of the year 🙂 All of the red and green and silver is just so pretty and festive to me after Thanksgiving! When I was in college, my roommate and I would eat Harry and David moose munch while putting up snowman and candy cane lights and we’d watch Elf while we did it. It was a nice way to de-stress before finals. This year though, I’m moving 6 days before Christmas, so I have to wait to get a tree and decorate until I get there!
So soon! Good luck with your packing and moving, Alex!
Thanks Amanda!
I’m definitely taking you up on a lot of these! I haven’t put my decorations up yet, but I have been on top of the crafts – I’ve made toys from socks (um… new ones…) for my neice and nephew. I just hope they aren’t scared by them! Fun to make anyway 😉
#4. Does that mean I’m celebrating year round?
Decorating my house would not fly at home but my coworkers are little elves and our office looks like santa’s workshop haha
You and me both 😉 Although the gingerbread tends to come out solely at this time of the year…
Yes to the music and the decorations… but I tend to that in my classroom. Movies too! Uh, I actually avoid the mall this time of year… while I love the decorations, all the crowds seriously stress me out. No way! 🙂