Peace and contemplation at the end of the year

The run-up to Christmas should actually be a time of peace, mindfulness and contemplation. However, December is often a time of haste, stress and exhaustion.

We have prepared a few tips for you so that you can fully enjoy the Christmas season this year and really relax.

Not everything has to be perfect

It's all too easy for demands to pile up on us during the Christmas season: The house has to be spick and span, the big meal has to be absolutely perfect, you have to come across as happy and smiling at all times and then please still be patient.

If that doesn't sound awful and unachievable, what does? We'll let you in on a secret, and it's best to repeat it out loud to yourself often: Not everything has to be perfect.

The house doesn't have to look perfect, the food can be oversalted or burnt and you're allowed to say no or get angry sometimes. The important thing is that you spend your time the way you want to and surround yourself with family and friends. It is less important whether every corner of the house has been cleaned beforehand or whether there is a sumptuous dinner on the table. Your loved ones will also confirm this.

Don't have too high expectations

This idea goes hand in hand with the first mantra. But it's not just about your expectations of yourself - it's about the Christmas season itself, the reactions and feelings of others and the dreams you want to realize at the end of the year. Don't be so hard on yourself. You know that anything can come your way, even things you might not expect.

If you don't manage to get the perfect Christmas present for everyone, you can always give it for the next birthday. If you haven't achieved all the goals you set yourself at the beginning of the year, write them on your list for next year and think about how much you've progressed in the last 12 months.

Make time for what's really important to you

You don't have 25 hands and 10 bodies to do every little thing and attend every party and celebration. Even if your diary seems packed in the weeks leading up to Christmas, reduce it to only those appointments that are close to your heart.

Not every Christmas event is equally important. Going to three celebrations with full attention and mindfulness is so much nicer than only half-heartedly attending seven events.

Choose the most important events of the Christmas season for yourself and enjoy them to the full. Make them a wonderful and contemplative memory. A sparsely filled diary before Christmas is liberating.

I act as I think

You tell yourself in the fall that you're looking forward to the Christmas season. To the peace and quiet at home and the coziness - and then in December? You're under more stress than ever!

If Christmas really is a time of love, peace and mindfulness for you, then strive for it by all means. You'll be proud of yourself!
If, on the other hand, you like to go out a lot at Christmas, travel a lot and visit relatives and friends, then do the same. Nobody can tell you how to celebrate Christmas - but do it the way you want to!

Don't let your surroundings influence you

High expectations usually result from the fact that the world wants to give us an image of the perfect Christmas. Whether in public, on social media or even within the family circle: we see the idea of a flawless Christmas where everyone has to be overjoyed. However, these are and remain just ideas and in many cases bear little relation to reality.

Only a few people have such great Christmas decorations as you see in movies or on Pinterest. Not many people manage to bake several types of cookies every weekend. So don't let that get you down.

Reflect on the year and learn from it

Corny? Maybe.
A good idea? Definitely.

Take time in December to reflect on the past months. Remember the good things and the things that could be improved. Learn from your mistakes and strive to make amends with people you may have left by the wayside in your life.

Self-reflection enables you to rewrite and experience the new year like a blank page of paper. You can start again with new ideas and thoughts and a clear conscience. So: introspect - think - reflect - take a deep breath: 2023 will be a good year.