WA Advent Calendar 2025 - Tuesday 23rd December

byGail-UK

3.8K followers

12 hrs ago

Morning all

I hope you are having a calm run-up to Christmas and finding time to enjoy it rather than being stressed.

Luckily, in our Advent calendar today (Day 23), we have something to help - a moment of calm and pause - whatever that means to you.

A Moment to Breathe: Letting Go of Christmas Stress

The days just before Christmas can feel like a whirlwind. Lists upon lists, last-minute shopping, family planning, wrapping paper everywhere but no Sellotape, “did we buy batteries?”, queues, traffic, school events, work deadlines… and somewhere in the middle of it all, we’re meant to feel calm, cosy and full of festive joy.

But the truth is:
Christmas is wonderful, but it can also be overwhelming.

So today’s Advent message is a simple reminder to pause and take a moment for yourself, even for a few minutes.
Take one slow breath in. Let one long breath out. Repeat that twice.
Your nervous system will thank you.

Why we feel extra tense before Christmas

The build-up to Christmas piles multiple pressures on us all at once:

• Emotional expectations
• Financial worries
• Busy schedules
• Family dynamics
• Long to-do lists
• Short, dark winter days

It’s no surprise we hit a wall. We’re human and we can be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of 'STUFF' that is expected at this time of year.

But remember that YOU are in control. You don't need to meet anyone's expectations - really you don't and is often a thought that stems from perfectionism or the feeling that we will not be enough if we don't. But that is not true. You are enough. You are loved, and it will all be alright - even if the potatoes are soggy, the kids don't get a fifteenth stocking filler, and Aunt Mavis has to sit next to Uncle Fred at dinner!

The burden of Christmas often falls on one or two people in a family, so if that is you, then this post is exactly what you need right now. Stop and take a breath. If that is not you, then spare a thought for the person in your family who is running around like a headless chicken, buying the food, making the plans, wrapping the presents... then go and offer to help them out!! Even if that is making them a hot drink and offering to wrap those last minute presents.

Think about what you really value about Christmas - I bet it's not a perfect lunch or a military-style schedule! It's moments of laughter, ease and togetherness that you can create with a few simple refreshments and some quality time with loved ones. This is what really matters.

A few easy ways to release tension today

You don’t need a spa day or a silent retreat. Tiny, everyday moments can make the biggest difference, so here are a few simple and free ways to help:

• Put on a song you love and listen with your eyes closed for a few minutes
• Step outside and feel the cold air on your face
• Stretch your shoulders (Christmas tension loves hiding there)
• Declutter just one small area and give your brain a quick win
• Cross some things off the list - they won't be missed
• Say no to something you genuinely don’t have the capacity for right now
• Ask for help when you need it - even Santa has a whole team of elves and a year to prepare!

Warm winter drinks to help you slow down

Sometimes the simplest comfort is the most effective. A warm drink encourages you to sit, breathe and pause — even just for five minutes.

Here are a few traditional, cosy Christmas drinks to help melt a bit of stress away:

• Hot chocolate – smooth, nostalgic and perfect for unwinding
• Mulled wine – gently spiced and wonderfully calming
• Mulled apple juice – all the festive warmth without the alcohol
• Warm spiced cider – old-fashioned, fragrant and soothing
• Herbal teas – chamomile, peppermint, cinnamon or ginger to relax and settle
• Eggnog – rich, creamy and best enjoyed slowly
• Scandinavian glögg – served in tiny cups, a tradition built around slowing down
• Warm milk with nutmeg – a classic bedtime comfort going back generations

Each drink is essentially an invitation: sit down for a moment… you deserve to rest too.

Let go of the picture-perfect Christmas

A lot of our stress comes from trying to live up to the photos we see online. Perfect homes. Perfect trees. Perfect families. Perfect everything.

But a real Christmas is nothing like that.

It’s joyful chaos, burnt stuffing, missing tape, last-minute presents and “who moved the scissors?” That's the real beauty as I've said. So allow your Christmas to be perfectly imperfect because that’s exactly what makes it human.

A gentle reminder

• Christmas isn’t an exam.
• No one is marking you - and YOU shouldn't either!
• Don't get caught up in the hype.
• You don’t need to earn rest.
• Even one quiet moment can soften the whole day.

So today, before the real Christmas rush begins, make yourself something warm, take a breath, sit down for a minute and give yourself permission to relax.

You deserve peace just as much as anyone you’re preparing Christmas for.

All the best in love and rest,

Gail

Take the time to enjoy each moment. It will all be alright.