The shift from autumn into the holiday season can feel like a blur. Lists, plans, and expectations piling up faster than the leaves fall. But there’s a quieter rhythm beneath it all, one that invites us to slow down and reconnect with the heart of the season.
This week is about rekindling that warmth, not through doing more, but through noticing more. We’re stepping away from the pressure to create a picture-perfect holiday and returning to what the season really offers: gratitude, connection, comfort, and meaning.
Whether you celebrate a holiday or simply mark the turning of the year, this is your reminder to let the light back in: softly, simply, and intentionally.
Here are the first 7 actions you can do this upcoming week to rekindle your relationship with the holiday season with minimal to no added effort on your part.
Revisit Old Traditions + Release
Before the season sweeps you away, take a minute to reflect on how your traditions make you feel. Are there ones that you do just because you “have to” or you’re told to? Go through your list and note what you do every year that makes you excited to celebrate the upcoming season and what doesn’t interest you at all.
I’d like to to consider removing the traditions that you don’t enjoy. Why do them if you don’t find soul-deep feeling in them? Life’s too short to do things we hate. December is one month of the year that already has added stressors. Let them go… and make new cherished memories.
Start a New Tradition
Now that you got rid of the traditions you dislike, add one in that you feel like you’d enjoy. Try it out for a year before you decide if you want to do it yearly. It could be as simple as “Soup Sundays” or “Movie Monday” through December. Or maybe it’s going to the local theatre production dressed up one night.
Figure out one new thing you’d like to try and make it a priority. Lighting your soul with excitement of the unknown during a season will bring some special magic back to it.
Simplify Your Calendar
It’s already mid-November and my guess is that your December calendar is filling up so quickly with events, togetherness, and fun.
I’ll encourage you to ask: is it too much? Too much people-ing on a very busy month will mean that you’re in a constant people “hungover” state. And that’s bound to suck the joy out of anyone.
So, schedule your “must-dos”. Look at your calendar for any events or activities that you can skip. And for the love… make sure there are empty days + nights for rejuvenation.
Music: Sets the Tone
This may seem weird to you to add to the to-do list for the week, but stick with me as this can translate out of the Nov-Ember challenge and into everyday, real life. By listening to music or songs that feel like a hug, you’ll elevate your mood.
Right now, Christmas and holiday songs are taking over the airwaves. Those may not be your jam, so find what is and enjoy it. Music has the power to lift spirits, to scream away bad days, and to mellow our overstrung nervous systems.
My current playlist: instrumental cover songs ← the songs I love without the voices to distract me (even if I sing along in my head). But my favorite for the holiday season is classical Christmas. Trust that will be on repeat all season long.
Give Intentionally
The “bigger the better” has become a motto in our world. But, I’d suggest it should go the other way. Simple and small tokens that are tailored to the receiver acquire far more joy than “stuff” will. A gift doesn’t need to be big to be beautiful.
Stop throwing away your hard-earned money on stuff. My philosophy is that experiences always outweighs gifts and you should personalize your gifting. I worked retail for so many years and in my experience, January was filled with returns from Christmas gifts that didn’t fit the receiver’s life or style.
While you’re putting together your gift lists this year, consider: your budget, if you really need to get them anything, and who the person innately is. Don’t go broke buying gifts for people. Keep it simple.
Create Beauty (Out + In)
You may be one that doesn’t find joy in decorating and you know what? That’s okay! While everyone is decking their halls, you can create some beautiful inward moments.
A cozy ritual (so to speak) grounds you in the moment and will help your nervous system find safety and calm even in the most chaotic month. Creating beauty isn’t only about your surroundings, it’s about curating a beautiful life for yourself.
And day 7…. Savor Slowly
Before December sweeps you away, take a breather and savor slowly. Savor the meal that makes you feel warm inside. Savor the moment that makes you feel special. Sip your beverage slowly. Eat dinner by candlelight. Pausing to taste and not rush through it. Getting a taste of what next month can look like will allow you to bask in the moments (big + small).
I heard a story about a dad recently that changed my outlook on things. The story went that every year this dad made such a big deal about the fall colors. The vibrancy, “the show of autumn” he called it. The daughter didn’t see the big deal until her dad said “you only get to see them 88 times in your life” and she finished the story with “he saw 55 of them“.
A raw, true life story of how short of time we have. So bask in it, enjoy it, and even on the days that are hard, find some kind of light. December is chaotic (no joke) but find joy in the chaos even for a short period of time. December 1st-25th only accounts for 6.8% of your year and even smaller for your lifetime. All that effort and stress for something seemingly so small.
Rekindling the season isn’t about reinventing it. It’s about remembering. Remembering who you are beneath the noise, the plans, and the expectations. As you move through this week, let small rituals become your light.
If you enjoyed Week Two, stay with me for Week Three – where we move from relighting your passion for the season to your internal mind + spirit.
If you’re following along with the Nov-Ember Challenge, you can revisit last week’s Relight Your Space post to continue layering these practices. And if you haven’t yet, download the Simply Tamed Life Workbook — it pairs beautifully with these reflections, helping you move from awareness into gentle, grounded action.
Simply Tamed 
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