I’m Cancelling Christmas This Year – Here’s Why

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means I earn a small commission if you purchase or book through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Wow, that was fast, wasn’t it? Two weeks ago I wrote about getting into a Christmas mood, then 12 days of Christmas self care went live a week later. On Instagram stories, I shared with you decorating my Christmas tree, watching holiday movies, everything I did to get myself into a festive mood, and prepare for Christmas. But now, a few days before the holidays I say: I cancel Christmas this year.

And you know what?

It feels great!

I love Christmas with all my heart. Usually I can’t wait to decorate my house but… I don’t feel it this year. I don’t know if that’s my depression speaking, or that I’m finally letting go of other people’s expectations and want to live my own life.

I decorated the Christmas tree and started working on the house, but all of it look really out of place. Plenty of decorations are still waiting to be put up, but… you know what? They can wait until the next year.

Because this year I’m letting go of all the things I’m “supposed” to do. Instead, I want to focus on things that really matter in the long run.

Letting it go

I’ve always felt compelled to prepare Christmas Eve dinner every year, even if I wasn’t really up to it. We’ve never done presents, too. I don’t like the idea of buying things, not because you love and appreciate someone, but because you feel like you have to. I remember being a child and feeling forced to buy presents for my immediate family because they expected it. Everyone often ended up with random things they didn’t like or need. Shopping for Christmas presents has always been stressing me out a lot.

It doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy giving presents, though. When I see something I know could be useful to my partner, I’ll give it to him. When I find a toy, I know my daughter would be happy to receive; I give it to her instead of waiting till Christmas and learning that she suddenly lost interest in Paw Patrol she previously loved so much. This year, she’s already received all her Christmas presents because it was convenient. She doesn’t understand the idea of Christmas yet, anyway.

We’ve been spending Christmas on our own for years. We have no means to visit our family back in our home country during the holidays, and they’re not keen on visiting us too. That’s why holidays are usually a lonely and difficult time of the year, and I bet anyone who lives far away from their family can relate.

After deciding to cancel Christmas this year, I felt like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

What now?

I had many plans, ideas. So many dreams, but no action put behind them.

We’ll spend holidays focusing a bit more on doing housework jobs that can’t be done during the regular working week. Apart from that, we’ll watch some Christmas movies, listen to festive songs on the radio, and spend this time together.

We won’t make a traditional, huge Christmas Eve dinner, but we’ll make it a bit more festive than usual. One day, we’ll go for an evening walk to see all the lights and decorations.

We’ll continue giving small presents to our daughter as a part of her advent calendar and she’ll receive something on Christmas Day, too. Just because we canceled Christmas doesn’t mean that it won’t be fun!

And last but not least, I’ll spend more time on planning and preparing for the new year. For the first time, I feel like 2023 will be my year and I can’t wait to see what the future holds and what great things I can accomplish.

But what “cancelling Christmas” means, exactly?

For me, “cancelling Christmas” is opting out of activities I don’t enjoy, rather than boycotting holidays. I’m not going to start running around saying that Christmas is sh*t and Santa Claus doesn’t exist, but you won’t find me shopping for presents or decorating my entire house, too.

If you too want to cancel Christmas this year, start by making a list of thing and activities that you don’t enjoy doing or that stresses you out.

If preparing a festive dinner makes you feel anxious, check if you really have to do it.

Buying presents? Talk to others to see their point of view. Maybe they don’t really enjoy doing it but they’re too shy to speak up?

It will require having tough conversations, making hard decisions, and probably going on compromise, too. But it’s worth it.

Let’s try again next year

Just because we don’t do something one year, it doesn’t mean that it will have to stay like that permanently. We change as people and our personal circumstances don’t stay the same too. Who knows what will happen during the next 12 months? Will we move again? I know one thing – we’ll do whatever feels right for our family.

Final words about cancelling Christmas this year

My mission is to share with you the process of creating my dream life and inspiring you to do the same. It would be hypocritical of me to make you believe I celebrate Christmas when I don’t feel it at all.

Making a decision of cancelling Christmas this year was very freeing for me. By writing this short post, I wanted to show you that sometimes it’s good to make your own decisions even if they’re controversial.

Do whatever feels right to you. Don’t be afraid of taking action. You’ve got this!