Slowing down at Christmas is a hard thing to do.

That’s because our culture encourages us to speed up, do more, shop more, and consume more during the holiday season.

It’s all about more, more, more!

Trying to practice a “slowing living Christmas” feels like going against the current of a raging river. It’s countercultural. It’s strange. It’s different.

And oh-so rewarding.

Experiencing an Authentic Christmas is about returning to the most important parts of the Christmas season in a way that fills our hearts up with joy, faith, goodness, and hope. It’s about celebrating Christ’s birth, helping those in need, donating to charities, helping out at church, and spending time with family.

Most important, experiencing an Authentic Christmas is a mindset shift. It’s important to slow down and be fully present to God’s presence. You can take time to be still in the morning so you can soak up time in prayer, or you can go on a walk and witness the beauty of nature at Christmastime. On top of that, you can slow down enough to mindfully help another person, share a meaningful moment with a family member, and intentionally plan spending time with those you love in important and meaningful ways.

Our hearts long for deeper connections during the holidays. What if Christmas isn’t supposed to be about consumption and consumerism at all?

If you’re looking to practice slow and mindful living this year throughout the Christmas season, here are eight ideas you can turn to for guidance and a gentle reminder that you don’t have to live at a fast pace this Christmas.

Instead, you can take it slow. In the best way possible.

1. Invite God into Your Christmas Season

Christmas season is about Christ. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, this is so easy to forget.

Before the Christmas season even begins, you can pray and ask God to guide and direct you and your family this year. Where is He leading your heart? Who and what does He want you to focus on? How can you grow in your love of the Lord this December? How can you be a blessing to those in need?

Making a commitment to attend church in person every Sunday for the Advent season is a great place to start. This small commitment helps you to remember that putting God first is a heart-fulfilling practice that keeps you focused on Christ this Christmas rather than commercialism and consumerism.

2. Create a Meditative Christmas Nook

Do you have a favorite comfy chair, spot by the fireplace, or window you love to sit at and watch the world go by? You can turn it into a Christmas Nook! (Check out the blog I wrote all about creating your own Christmas Nook!)

Once you’ve chosen your favorite spot, start by adding comfy Christmas-themed blankets like red and green quilts. Add in a sprinkle of happy matching pillows for good measure.

Next, add a Christmas-scented candle like my favorites from DW Home. DW Home makes the best seasonal candles and I can always find them at HomeGoods or T.J. Maxx. But be warned—they usually sell out in stores early!

Feel free to add a special framed picture nearby or a lovely quote that reminds you why you’re doing this in the first place. A Bible verse could be a great quote to hang up as well.

Finally, choose a Christmas devotional to read from every morning and add it to your daily Bible reading.

Now you have your Christmas Nook! This space is perfect for early morning prayer & devotionals during the month of December (or even November). Commit to starting each day in your Christmas Nook and setting your heart right on what matters most.

Don’t forget Christmas-flavored coffee in your favorite Christmas mug!

3. Read an Advent Devotional Every Day

As mentioned above, reading an Advent devotional is a great way to slow down at Christmas. Why? Because it’s a great counter to the commercialism, shopping, and movies that so easily grab our hearts every year.

My personal favorites are from the Daily Grace Co. This Christian company is incredible! Every year they make a gorgeous and thought-provoking Advent workbook to journal through. You can find this year’s Advent devotional here!

Staying on schedule and taking the time every day to read and write is a challenge I enjoy. A devotional or workbook like these keeps my heart focused on the right things throughout the Christmas season. Plus, the photography is absolutely beautiful and inspirational.

4. Go on Nature & Neighborhood Walks

It’s simple. It’s easy. And usually free. Going on walks during the Christmas season is one of the best ways to slow down and remember what’s important in life!

When you go on your walk, what do you see? Take in the sights, the sounds, the trees, the neighbors, the stillness. Whatever it is, adding nature walks into your Advent routine is something truly special. Whether you go alone as a time of meditative pray, or you invite your spouse or family to go with you, taking the time for nature walks is a great counter to the Christmas commercialism.

If you invite children along, you can play  an “I Spy Christmas” game in the neighborhood, such as looking for neighborhood Christmas decorations nearby. You can have meaningful connections and conversations with children and family members. Or you can just enjoy the silence of nature and the joy of movement if you’re lucky enough to be in a serene area.

Exercise and Christmas aren’t usually thought of as going together. But taking the time to enjoy walks in your local area can help you clear your head and open your heart to the Holy Spirit working in you during this hectic time.

5. Visit a Hospital, Orphanage, or Nursing Home

Most people at Christmastime enjoy visiting ice skating rinks, theme parks, and shopping areas for maximum entertainment and enjoyment. But what if you did things differently this year?

Make a commitment to visit a hospital, orphanage, or nursing home this year during Christmas. Once you have a specific organization in mind, call ahead and ask what they need this year. You can also inquire if you can bring certain food items such as homemade goods. Another idea is to bring signed Christmas cards to residents. Take time to pray over those you visit and ask God to touch their hearts and lives this Christmas.

The point is that you can be a catalyst for love this year towards those who are vulnerable, hurting, and afraid. Your presence can be the light someone needs to experience the hope of Jesus.

Taking the time to visit a hospital, orphanage, nursing home, prison, or others in need is one of the best ways to experience an authentic Christmas. Whether you sing Christmas carols, bring gifts, offer prayer, or simply your time, energy, and presence, you will experience the joys of a Christmas centered on charity and giving back.

6. Enjoy a Staycation Christmas

Whether it’s the pressure of social media or the highs we get from travelling, some of us are tempted to travel far and wide for Christmas every single year. And while this is absolutely not a bad thing, there can be years where this creates unnecessary stress in our lives when our hearts are needing stillness and peace.

Whatever you’ve experienced this year can have a compounding effect on the way you experience Christmas. Last year, someone who was like a father to me passed away in March. When Christmas came around, instead of traveling, my husband and I chose to just stay home.

For the first time in a long time, I went hours without knowing what time it was. I took time to read. I slept ten to twelve hours every single night. I rested. I watched T.V. I cooked. During one of the busiest seasons of life, I made myself be still. It was hard, but I knew I needed it.

Some Christmases, we honestly just need stillness and rest. We need quiet, peace, and meaningful conversation. We need to sleep, recharge, and be restored, especially as we get ready for the year ahead.

If your family has been through a lot this year, you may need to hit the reset button. You may need to do things differently. You may need a staycation, or invite family to come to you instead of you traveling to see them.

Whatever you need, take time to hear your own heart and honor what your soul is craving this holiday season. Listen and obey. God is speaking to you.

7. Make Storytelling a Christmas Tradition

Having a family storytelling night during the Advent season is a great testimony to your faith!

No doubt you often spend the holidays running around with your kids, shopping, watching Christmas movies, and being busy.

That’s why having a family storytelling night can be so memorable. Invite grandparents and family members to share their favorite Christmas memories. Perhaps stories no one has ever heard will rise to the surface. Each person can share what Christmas means to them and how to make special efforts to be mindful of others during the Christmas season.

You could also consider saying a prayer after the storytelling. Ultimately, prayer nights spent together as a family during Advent will be one of the most memorable parts of your children’s Christmas memories. It could literally make an impact for generations. Regardless of what Christmas traditions you grew up with, you can start creating meaningful new ones with your family this year, right where you are.

8. Trade Buying Presents for Experiences & Blessings

This one might be the most radical of all!

If you’re experiencing a season of stress, or are exhausted by the constant barrage of commercialism and materialism, you may decide to skip the present buying this year.

Some families choose to trade in Christmas gifts for making memories together. Instead of spending money on things, your family could decide to go on a major trip or even a weekend getaway. One family we know decided to take a trip to Disney together during the holidays and forego the gift-giving tradition. Amazing memories were made and the parents didn’t feel like they had to focus on presents during the holiday season.

You could also consider skipping presents for blessings. Instead of spending money this year, your family could decide to give to families in need, donate to charities, or bless those in need in some way, such as buying gifts for children in poverty through organizations like Compassion International or Food For the Poor. There are so many people who need a Christmas blessing. You’re only limited by your imagination!

Stay Mindful & Present This Christmas Season

Practicing slow living throughout the Christmas season can be a real challenge. That’s because it goes against so much of what we’ve been taught and modeled by our culture.

I remember one year at Christmas I was spending time with a family member at the kitchen table. We were talking about it being Christmas and suddenly a look of tearful guilt came over her face. She admitted, “It just doesn’t feel like Christmas at all” with a frown. Studying her forlorn expression, I knew how she felt.

Christmas can seem to sneak up on us out of nowhere, and suddenly it seems we’re supposed to summon this false festive cheer that many of us may not really feel. This pressure can cause a lot of stress.

But, when I paused for a moment of reflection, I suddenly remembered something Charles Dickens wrote in “A Christmas Carol”:

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”

When we don’t keep the spirit of Christmas in our hearts the rest of the year, it suddenly seems Christmas and all it’s joys and thrills comes as a shock to our system.

This year, we don’t have to try to rush to play catch up, to summon false cheer, or put on a brave face. We can slow down. We can be still and rest. We can bravely relax in God’s loving care.

And we can recommit to being the type of person who “keeps Christmas in our heart”—putting Christ and others first in our lives, all year long.