With the holidays around the corner, I think it’s time to finally address something that I’m often asked about—how to celebrate a minimalist Christmas!
I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a few years now, but, to be honest, before I had kids, I wasn’t sure if my perspective would interest anyone.
Whether that’s true or not, I will say that we definitely had a more extreme minimalist lifestyle before we became parents! We lived in a tiny studio apartment, everything we owned fit in the back of my hatchback, and we could easily do things like escape to a remote tropical island for Christmas.
But things have changed—I have two small kids (three and six), and we’ve upsized to a two bedroom apartment. We’re doing our best to navigate life (and the holidays!) with little ones in tow.
Here’s what we’ve learned so far about how to celebrate a minimalist Christmas, along with some tips for a simple holiday season, no matter what you choose to celebrate.
What Does a Minimalist Christmas Look Like?
To kick things off, let’s talk about what it means to celebrate a minimalist Christmas. A minimalist Christmas can still be a cozy Christmas. In fact, when you let go of unnecessary worry and stuff, it’s the perfect way to enjoy what this time of year is all about.
If you’re a long-time reader, it probably won’t surprise you to hear that I think a minimalist Christmas means different things for different people. For example, some might choose to skip having a tree altogether, and others might still value decorating but decide to give fewer gifts this year.
One way of celebrating isn’t inherently better or “more minimalist” than the other. The thing to remember is that minimalism is not a race to see who can get by with the least amount of stuff.
Instead, minimalism is about intentionality and alignment. Consider your values and priorities, decide what “enough” means to you, and then align your holiday celebration accordingly.
I’m going to tell you a bit more in this blog post about what a minimalist Christmas looks like in my home, but please remember, this is just one example of how to simplify the holidays.
You should start your own holiday planning by thinking about what matters most to you and your loved ones. I know it’s hard, but do your best to let go of external expectations; give yourself permission to set boundaries and create new traditions this year if your existing ones no longer feel like a good fit.
RELATED POST: What It Really Means To Be A Minimalist
Minimalist Christmas Decorations
So with that out of the way, let’s talk about minimalist Christmas decorations: how do you decide how much is too much?
A great way to start is by paying attention to how holiday decorating makes you feel.
Are you excited and happy about it? If so, then there’s no reason to change what you’re doing just for the sake of it. If holiday decorating brings you a lot of joy, then go for it!
But … if the thought of decorating leaves you feeling stressed and overwhelmed, then it’s time to take a closer look at why you’re doing what you do. Are you decorating because:
- It’s what you’ve always done in the past?
- You’re worried your family won’t enjoy the holidays if you don’t?
- You’re afraid other people will judge you?
These might seem like valid reasons at first but I encourage you to challenge these beliefs. Talk to your loved ones and let them know how you’re feeling. Discuss the tradeoffs—decorating costs time, money and energy—and decide as a family, you should discuss how you want to proceed.
My minimalist Christmas decorations
Personally, we have a Christmas tree and one box of decorations. My husband and I have decided that we won’t store anything that can’t fit in that box because we have a small home. That box is what feels like “enough” for us.
This means that for my daughter’s first Christmas (which was the first year we had a tree) we bought a handful of new ornaments, but decided that moving forward we would only buy additional ornaments to celebrate special milestones.
For example, we bought a new ornament when we went to Disneyworld a few years ago, and we’ve also purchased a “baby’s first Christmas” ornament for my son.
I’ll be honest and admit that it’s tempting sometimes to buy more—I’ve seen SO many beautiful things around town right now—but I’m mindful of what shopping now really means.
We have limited space, so if I buy something today, it might mean having to say “no” to something meaningful later. We are intentionally leaving space for the glitter-covered macaroni ornaments that I’m sure the kids will bring home in the years to come!
In addition to a tree, the only other decorations we have are a stuffed Santa doll and Christmas stockings, and we occasionally use fresh greenery, too.
Minimalist Christmas Decor Ideas
Here are just a few ways to incorporate minimalism into your Christmas decorating. Do what works for you – even if it isn’t in this list.
First, decide which rooms you’re going to decorate. You don’t have to decorate every single room of the house. Maybe just decorate the living room. Then, decide whether you’re going to use a real tree or a reusable one. You could even save space and just use a small tree.
Incorporate natural materials into your decor. Use simple ornaments, or make them with natural elements like pine cones. Forget about overstuffed artificial trees with tons of lights and bows and baubles. Decorate a minimalist Christmas tree with neutral colors.
Every single space doesn’t have to be filled with stuff. Leave room in your living space to live. Maybe put a festive table runner on your coffee table or dining table, but then let the natural woods shine through. Add garland to your fireplace mantel, but leave space open, too.
Spend quality time together making your decorations with natural greenery, dried orange slices, and a few fairy lights. And don’t be afraid of a sparse tree. It doesn’t have to be filled with Christmas lights and ornaments to be stunning!
Minimalism and Christmas Gifts
Ahh … Christmas gifts. This is where things get more complicated, right? It seems like it’s the only thing people talk about during the Christmas season!
There are a lot of opinions about how minimalists should handle Christmas gifts, but my best advice is to start with honest conversations with your family members.
Take an open, non-judgmental approach with your friends, families and even co-workers. Ask for their feedback: How does everyone feel about the way we currently exchange gifts?
Listen and then offer suggestions based on what you’re hearing. Everyone else might be completely ready to let go of the obligation to buy too much stuff and ready to take a more minimalist approach to gift-giving.
Here are a few ways to have a more minimalist Christmas with gift-giving.
- Doing a Secret Santa so that everyone buys and receives one gift each
- Setting spending limits
- Actually asking people what they want for Christmas
- Practising the 4 gift rule: one thing you want, need, wear and read
- Giving experiences, like movie tickets or annual passes to the zoo
- Choosing not to exchange gifts
There is no one right solution for everyone, and you need to decide where to create boundaries. If you have a large family, consider breaking up into smaller groups for gifts. Remember, an easy way to decide how to handle this is just to start talking about it. Take some family time to create new traditions that don’t involve buying erroneous items.
Related Post: How to Get Your Family On Board With Minimalism
How we handle gift-giving in my family
In my family, we use a mix of almost all of the above strategies!
First, my husband and I generally don’t exchange gifts, or we limit ourselves to one gift with a small budget. The reason for this is that, as a family, we already spend a lot of money on travel and experiences (annual theme park passes, meals out, etc.). We’re not afraid to splurge on these things year-round, so buying each other gifts just feels unnecessary.
We do buy gifts for the kids, but we’re very intentional with what we buy. We know that the grandparents love to shop for the kids (more on that in a minute) so we don’t need to buy much.
For my daughter, I am careful to choose gifts that will grow with her; things that encourage pretend play like a toy doctor’s kit or Legos.
And for my son? Well, honestly, he is only one and has no idea what is going on, so I’m planning to wrap some of the toys we already own and give them to him. (This is a strategy I love to use for all gift-giving holidays—a mix of new things curated with existing toys—and it works surprisingly well!)
Moving on to the extended family …
With my mom, I will generally only buy her a gift when I know that it’s something she will really enjoy. Sometimes it’s a small gift (like a candle), sometimes it’s something big (like a trip to Paris), and sometimes it’s just a card with a photo.
Personally, this is my favourite way of giving gifts. If I have something meaningful to offer, then I love giving—but if not, I don’t like giving gifts just for the sake of it.
My mom, on the other hand, always asks me what I want for Christmas, so I’m not afraid to tell her exactly what I need. I hate the idea of her wasting money on things that I won’t end up keeping (and yes, with a few exceptions, I don’t keep gifts that I don’t want).
I generally don’t buy gifts for the rest of my family, although I try and send a card with a photo since we’re rarely home for Christmas. (We live in Australia, and my family is in the States.) When I do buy gifts, I’m a fan of practical things like gift cards unless someone has asked for something specific.
Things get a bit trickier with extended family buying gifts for the kids. Everyone likes shopping for children, especially grandparents!
I don’t want to rob them of this joy (remember—minimalism is not an invitation to judge what makes other people happy) so instead of fighting it, I embrace it. I tell my mom exactly what the kids want, and then I buy less to compensate.
Having said that, as a general rule, if she receives something she won’t use, then I’m not afraid to pass it on to someone else. The exception is sentimental items, which I keep for her.
Why? Because it’s not my decision to make. When she gets older, she can decide what’s worth keeping or not, but for now, I don’t feel comfortable making that choice.
As you can see, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. If you feel overwhelmed with where to begin, then start small. It’s not all of nothing—have one conversation, make one change, and see what happens.
Related Post: Clutter-Free Minimalist Gifts: Ideas For Everyone On Your List
Minimalist Christmas Traditions + Reducing Holiday Stress
Finally, let’s talk about minimalist Christmas traditions and reducing holiday stress during this festive season.
I think it all begins with how you manage your expectations. Go back to what Christmas really means to you, choose one or two things to focus on, and then build your traditions around that. Keep the important things important and embrace a simpler Christmas.
Accept that you won’t be able to do everything and that the “perfect” holidays you see on TV, online, and in magazines don’t exist. You might have to say “no” to some fun “nice-to-have” opportunities so that you have the time, energy and money for the things that matter most.
It’s not easy and it doesn’t always feel great at the moment, but it’s better than trying to be all things to all people and then missing out on something important. Remember, the minimalist mindset is a beautiful thing and letting go of things or obligations that don’t serve you can be incredibly freeing!
For example, I was talking to a friend last year about our plans for Christmas Eve. She’s a great hostess and we normally go to her house the night before Christmas … but this year, with children and bedtimes … it was just going to be too complicated.
It was sad to end a tradition, but at the same time, I really respect her for creating boundaries. She said “no” to something good so that she could have something better—a relaxed Christmas morning, plus more energy for her family and friends on Christmas Day.
This is the heart of what minimalist living is really all about.
More Minimalist Living Resources
If you’d like to learn more about minimalism in the new year and beyond, then here are a few resources you might enjoy.
First, I invite you to download a copy of Mindful Decluttering, my free guide to decluttering your home and life. It will teach you how to think differently about “stuff” and how to overcome some of the most common decluttering challenges.
Subscribe below to get your free copy and you’ll also get regular updates with minimalist living tips, resources, stories and more!
- 7 Simple Days – Are you looking to “kick-start” your simple and intentional living journey? 7 Simple Days is a short course that will help you clarify what matters, define your priorities and empower you to take small, practical steps towards a life you love.
- How I Became a Minimalist – Learn more about my personal journey from shopaholic to minimalist (and how you can start your own journey).
- 20 Ways I Simplified My Life – Ideas to inspire simplicity
- My Minimalist Daily Routines – Learn how to embrace slow and simple every day
Do you celebrate a minimalist Christmas? I’d love to hear your tips for simplifying the holidays—let us know your thoughts in the comments below! x