Your Holiday Vision
Your Holiday Vision has everything to do with how you will experience the holidays. Deciding with your family what’s important for the holidays can make all the difference between a mediocre holiday and a joy filled season. This is something we have done for the last two years, and we wouldn’t skip it for the world! This simple step takes all the pressure off wondering if everyone is going to have a good time. Click here to access our Holiday Planner that helps us make sure that everyone is getting what makes Christmas special to them.
Using Your Holiday Vision Planner:
Your Holiday Vision starts by sitting down with your family members (or on your own), and deciding what things you want to have in order for Christmas to be Christmas. This list can be used for any holiday or special event, but we will use Christmas as it’s right around the corner!
The Planner is divided into two categories: Activities and Must Haves. When you are discussing each category under Activities, you write the Must Haves in the next column. If you run out of space, use the back of the page. Make sure no one’s preferences are excluded. This makes everyone feel special and that their opinions matters. You can change the names of the Holiday if it’s not Christmas or a New Years Celebration that you are planning. Let’s go through each of the categories to see what kind of things you can include.
Holiday Theme:
Depending on the Holiday you are planning, this could be anything from a beach theme, nativity theme, Joyful, Contemplative, Giving/Missionary, Christmas away, Christmas at home, Winter Wonderland, Tropical Holiday, North Pole, Ranch, the list really is endless. Do you want to do a lot of decorating, or will it be minimalist? Are you planning to travel to an extended family Christmas destination? Then you need to decide if you will be decorating your home as well. Will it be worth it to decorate your home if you won’t be there for several weeks?
Some people revel in the decorations, and some don’t need it. If you have family members that it’s really important for, then it’s a good idea to know ahead of time so they aren’t disappointed. With the weather and temperature changes, December to February can be very lonely, sad times for some people. Having decorations and lights up can really make a huge difference for their mental health. So make sure everyone’s needs are getting met in what they are expecting for the holiday season.
Foods We Want:
In this category we list all the special Christmas cookies, deserts, and drinks that make Christmas special to each of us. My Mom’s side of the family is Norwegian, so Norwegian baking is a huge part of our Christmas season. My husband is from El Salvador, so I’ve always tried to include his favourite treats as well. This is also super helpful for my grocery list, as it helps me make sure that I have everything I need on hand when they go looking for it!
So some of the things our list includes are: Nanaimo bars, Pepperkake, Short bread, Sunskorpe, Gingerbread, Moose Farts, After Eight Chocolates, Sugar Cookies, chips, and Hershey Chocolate Kisses. Drinks include Apple Cider, Pumpkin Spice Latte, and non alcoholic eggnog. We are always open to new recipes and ideas. It’s so much fun to make these together as time allows. For us, Christmas really begins when the first batch of Pepperkake comes out of the oven!
TV Shows/Movies We Want To See:
I’m sure you have Christmas movies that you have to see or it just isn’t Christmas! We are the same, so this is another popular category for all of us. If we don’t have the DVD of the show or movie, we set the PVR to record it when it shows up on one of the TV Channels. That way we don’t miss anything!
Some of our favourites are Journey To Bethlehem, The Sound of Music, White Christmas, The Grinch, etc… This list can definitely be endless, and may include movies that are coming to the theatre as well. It’s so reassuring to know that everyone’s voice is being heard during the holiday season. As a mom, I want to create great memories for my kids, and this process puts my mind at ease that we are.
Activities:
Christmas comes and goes very quickly, so making sure we fit in everyone’s favourite activities is a must! This can include anything from ice skating, viewing Christmas lights, going to the theatre, musical events, visiting friends, skiing, traveling to the mountains, singing carols, sending Christmas cards, shopping, craft fairs, etc. The list is truly endless. Whatever activity the kids think would be fun, we add it to the list.
Once you have your list of activities and dates, make sure to schedule them into your calendar so nothing gets missed. Being active will help you both physically and mentally.
Christmas Dinner Menu:
This one is really important, as we all have foods that make us feel we’ve had Christmas dinner. For us, we prepare our turkey in the Salvadoran way. The side dishes vary depending on our individual requests. For me brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, and green beans are important. None of us are into stuffing, so that doesn’t get included, but gravy and cranberry sauce does. The desserts are usually Pumpkin Pie, and a new recipe my daughter suggests. Again we stay open to new ideas, while honouring the traditional foods we don’t want to miss!
New Years Eve Menu
Our New Years Eve menu features Pupusas to honour my husbands heritage. Pupusas are an entirely El Salvadoran dish that contains beans and cheese inside a dough made from corn masa or rice. My husband is an expert at forming them. I make the beans, grate the cheeses, and make the Pupusa Salsa that goes on top. They are quite labour intensive, so we only get them every few months, which makes them a really special treat!
It’s so nice to be able to end the year and start the next year eating Pupusas. It helps my husband feel a little less homesick for his family, and helps us feel connected to our relatives down south.
In Conclusion:
You have the choice to make your Christmas season epic, or average. Your Holiday Vision will make all the difference. It doesn’t take a lot of time to fill out the Holiday Planner to make sure everyone’s expectations will be met. I can’t stress enough how much pressure this takes off me every year. I don’t have to wonder if they’re having a great Christmas, I know they are!!!
Please feel free to download and share our Holiday Planner to make this your best Christmas season yet!
As a natural encourager, I live to help others!!! One-on-one coaching is a great way to start building your confidence, and improve your health! I help people with Fibromyalgia and chronic illness manage their symptoms with ease, so they never feel held back again! Click here for an application form and I would be happy to help you in your journey. You can also contact me at andrea@nopainallgain.ca or check out my website: www.nopainallgain.ca
