This Christmas is one for embracing and appreciating the little things. Thank you to everyone who shared their Christmas traditions with us. What stands out most is the way you all felt at Christmas time. Feelings of love, wonder & joy; ‘that magical, cosy feeling only Christmas can bring’. These feelings and memories are created from a place of presence, little moments of mindfulness. Presence allows you to deepen your connections and enhance your memory after the moment passes.
We have highlighted common threads running through your favourite traditions that perfectly capture the essence of a mindful Christmas.
Getting crafty
Christmas is the perfect opportunity to let your creativity flow. Creativity helps people connect and engage, spread love through thoughtful gifts and feel a sense of achievement and happiness. Many of you enjoy making a variety of homemade treats, from decorations to baked goodies; homemade Christmas crackers, gingerbread houses, wreaths and mulled wine.
Getting outside into nature
There’s something so comforting about being wrapped up warm in the frosty winter air with people you love. This joy experienced from connecting with nature is shared by many of you in different ways including; crunchy Christmas morning walks, feeding farm animals, shopping at the local farmers market and wandering around Christmas markets.
Gift giving
Christmas is a time to give back and show your appreciation for the people who support you. For many of you, watching the joy on loved ones' faces as they unwrap your gifts is the most memorable moment of Christmas. From playing secret santa with friends at midnight, giving your dog his christmas present and ‘seeing the smile on his face’ to wrapping your own presents from your ‘useless brother’, the experience of gift giving is widely shared yet unique to each of you.
Veggie Christmases
Meat free-twists on Christmas classics are increasingly becoming popular traditions, from vegan eggnog to oggy (vegan nut roast). Christmas is a time to share the things you love with the people you love... however this is sometimes easier said than done. For one of you it means "tricking my parents into eating (and actually enjoying!) a vegan feast." - a superb display of festive trickery.
Cosy Christmases
Movie marathons are a recurring highlight of Christmas day, especially when there is a fire blazing and you are wearing your favourite Christmas pyjamas and new fluffy socks. Christmas movies are best enjoyed while comatosed after an enormous Christmas lunch. Favourites include; Love actually, Home Alone, The Holiday, The Snowman & Edward Scissorhands.
In the midst of a crazy festive period and extensive to-do list, it is easy to go into autopilot, putting too much focus on what you have to do and not enough on how you want to feel and be. However, Christmas is a season of unity and connection, full of interaction and opportunity to put mindfulness into motion.