Is it too late to post about Christmas? This is clearly a rhetorical question, since this is my blog and I get to choose what I post and I AM going to post about Christmas. That said, it does feel a bit removed, considering Christmas was almost a month ago.
But… I’ve found it tremendously convenient to have a debrief from last Christmas. I referenced it quite a few times over the holiday and changed some things for this season as a result.
You’ve already read some exceptionally long Christmas recap posts, so this one will be relatively short. If you want more detail, my 2024 summary is much more comprehensive.
THINGS THAT WORKED WELL
- Food! Food worked so well. I feel like we’re slowly tweaking our systems and getting closer to feeling fully settled. We basically did all the same things as in 2024, but this year we were able to order takeout pizza for Christmas Eve and that was amazing.
- Watching The Grinch and A Charlie Brown Christmas on Christmas morning while waiting for my parents to arrive.
- Putting gifts under the tree as I wrapped them.
- Setting up a wrapping station in the guest room. This helped corral All the Things and meant I could shut the door—hiding both the mess and the presents.
- Wrapping, in general, went well. I used plain paper tags that were incredibly cheap in bulk from the Dollar Store.
- Putting up decor early. I think my new goal will be to have our tree up by the evening of November 11th (Remembrance Day). I love the glow, and having the tree up early really helps streamline the season.
- Going to one church service—the early one!!!—on Christmas Eve. I loved this. It was one of my goals after last year and is the main reason I was determined to write up a debrief.
- Getting Christmas books from the library: Silly Dilly Songs, Rediscovering Christmas, Simply Christmas, French Cottage Christmas. Next year I want to get A Christmas Carol, too. I loved reading it a few Christmases ago and keep meaning to re-read it and haven’t (technically this should go below…)
- Having my parents bring ingredients I need (things like milk, sugar, fruit, and butter) instead of contributing prepared food; having John make Christmas dinner (on Boxing Day).
THINGS I’D DO DIFFERENTLY
- The week between Christmas and New Year’s felt a bit… scattered. I’d like to have a few more big “rocks” in terms of activities during that week. Some days where the plan is literally to stay in PJs and read all day while the kids binge movies—and some days where we intentionally go do something. Weather plays a big role, but I found myself languishing a bit between Christmas and New Year’s. Also, I think the main thing I’m looking for is time to reflect and goal-set. I find it hard to carve out quiet space to do this at home over the Christmas Break, so in 2026 I want to aim for at least two multi-hour sessions at a coffee shop to concentrate on reflection/planning activities.
- Watch more Christmas movies. I think this was on my list last year too, but it’s going on again. I’d like to be more intentional: pop popcorn, get under blankets, and really settle into the festive mood.
- Maybe decorate more downstairs? It felt kind of dull in the basement this year. The issue is the layout of our TV room—half the room is behind you when you’re watching TV, and that’s the half where it makes the most sense to put a tree. This was the first year we didn’t set up a basement tree, and while I didn’t miss it exactly, the space felt a bit underwhelming. I’m not sure what the solution is. I didn’t even change out the pillow covers this year. Maybe I don’t care? Do I care? I DON’T KNOW.
- Maybe—maybe??!—think about pushing Christmas dinner out one more day. Right now, we do our turkey-and-all-the-fixings meal on Boxing Day (December 26th), but maybe it would be nice to do it the day after that? Or maybe make it a late lunch instead of supper on the 26th?
- Go to Absolutely Fabulous at Home (a store a few towns over) to peruse their Christmas clearance (they stop Christmas clearance sales earlier than most places).
- Get some Christmas magazines from the library.
- Go look at lights. This is the first year since our kids were little we haven’t gone to a specific neighbourhood to look at lights. In fact, we only intentionally went to look at one impressive house (the same house twice). That’s… pretty lame of me. I can kind of take or leave lights, but I feel like the kids were disappointed this didn’t happen. It’s just so dark and cold at night and I want to be home and in jammies (or asleep).
- Order photocards. I specifically took a year off (though in looking back at the photos for our 2025 photobook we have literally never had a year with more great photo options than last year), but really do want to order photocards (or maybe a photo postcard??) in 2026. I think????
Okay, that’s enough from me. I literally just made a note in my planner to read my debrief posts (2024 AND 2025) in late October! Now it’s your turn:
- How did your Christmas/holiday go?
- What do you want to recreate next year?
- What things would you change?
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I think this Christmas debrief is a really helpful exercise, and putting it on your blog gives everyone the benefit of your thoughts and ideas. One big thing for us will be that this was will be our last year where we travel on Christmas Day. Next year, that’s fine because lunch is with G’s family, and my family doesn’t really do anything at dinner, but the following year we’ll see how that goes down. I would also like to watch more silly Christmas movies next year. Maybe play the Christmas playlist more and just ignore the kids’ complaints.
The last time we travelled any distance over Christmas the weather was horrific and we vowed to NEVER DO IT AGAIN.
I love the idea of more silly Christmas movies! Belle plays Christmas music starting in October, so I get lots of Christmas playlists 😉
Great post! It’s helpful to reflect on what worked and what needs a change- especially if you blog about it so you can refer to in the future. There are things I’d like to change about the holiday season in my home, but I don’t write it down and forget about until the next year ( and wish it were different again!).
We have the kids help wrap presents, and I appreciate that. I’d like to go back to have no presents under the tree until Xmas eve- I think the sudden appearance of boxes all at once magical! I also want fewer presents- to have experience gifts or to go somewhere for the holiday. I am tired of buying stuff!
I used to do gifts on Christmas Eve, but I always found it a bit of a chore AND I do like the aesthetic of gifts under the tree. This was the first year I put them out as a wrapped them, but I was a big fan. Growing up, gifts only went out on Christmas Eve!
Buying stuff is both expensive AND time consuming.
It’s never too late for a Christmas post! Or too early! If you want to write a post about Christmas planning in May, I’ll be here for it.
I think a debrief is a great idea. I’ve never done anything this extensive, but what I’ll usually do is go to the November and December sections of next year’s planner (or, I mean- the year we’re in now) and jot a few notes- “Need new white lights. One stocking holder is broken…” etc. I also had a page in my 2025 planner for gift ideas, and I just wrote down ideas throughout the year.
My biggest Christmas demerit is the same as last year (and, every year to be honest). I just didn’t start things EARLY ENOUGH. A weird time warp happens in November/December, where it’s “too early” to start Christmas prep, and then suddenly, it’s too late. This year, I’m determined to start in November- baking and freezing cookies, and sending out my cards.
I know what you mean about the week between Christmas and New Years. It also sort of drifted by for me, and then it’s January 1st and you feel like you should have already done your planning and goal setting. It seems like it should be feasible to find some time during that week to plan.
About the Christmas lights- you could be in your pajamas, and get in the car with hot chocolate and cookies while you drive around looking at lights. I know it’s not the same as being home and cozy, but it would be fun!
Jenny, I knew you would support my Christmas post <3 We are soul sisters when it comes to out love of Christmas!!!
It is brilliant to write those things down as prompts in your planner!
The holiday's are such a weird time vortex and it is hard to know when to do what. I imagine this all much more complicated in the US, too, since you have Thanksgiving so close to Christmas and we celebrate in October here in Canada.
I have no excuse for not going to see lights except I just didn't feel like it. BUT I should have know I would have felt guilt and should have just done it. I'm sure it would have been nice. I love your idea of going with hot chocolate and PJs! That's very festive <3
I love Christmas debriefs! I keep a list of things I want to do the following year – activities, movies I want to watch, gift ideas, dinner/baking ideas etc. – that I add to throughout the year. It can be hard to remember and if a good idea pops into my head in March or July, I’ll add it to the list. We had our tree and decorations up in early November and it made the house feel warm and cozy. November is such a blah month and having the lights shining made everything both physically and mentally brighter.
Yes! Having the tree up extra early this year really gave me a boost. Indy would get up first and have the lights on when I came out of my bedroom and I got a little jolt of delight every single morning <3
Your Christmas season is so jam packed full of obligations, decorations, events, people, action. Maybe it is the 30 year jump I have on you, or maybe it is the lack of children, or maybe it is because I no longer have family in the area, but I feel exhausted looking at your lists, both the What Worked and also the Do Differently. I would cross much of it off. No extra decor, no extra movies, no more shopping, and even no photo card. . . maybe I am just a lazy slob. “Maybe” nothing! I am in continually search of simplification in all areas. Okay, I think it is an age thing.
It is wise and prudent to build in time for reflection. I commend you for this!
Ha! And I feel like things are “light” for us compared to many people I know.
I think simplicity is great and honestly, I think that holidays (and most of life) should be arranged according to people’s preferences. There isn’t a “better” way to do Christmas decorations! I don’t want a dozen formal trees in my house but hooray if that’s someone else’s delight!
I love a good post-mortem.
Well our big “Do Differently” for next Christmas is no travelling. After two Christmases abroad, we just want to be home and have a tree and decorate and all that.
Though, I will say, we only bought each kid one present this year (from Santa), and it really took a lot of stress out of my Christmas. I don’t think we can pull off “one present only” again, though.
Travelling at Christmas is… a lot. You have special memories from your time away, but I 100% see everyone wanting to stay put and have a more “traditional” at-home Christmas. I bet you’ll appreciate it even more after being away for two consecutive years!
This is a great idea, to look back and see what worked and what didn’t when it comes to Christmas! Our tree went up a week earlier than usual and I liked it that early. I might even push to have it up even earlier next year. Watch more Christmas movies is on my to do list every year!
Why don’t I manage to stay consistent with watching Christmas movies??? It’s fun and I enjoy it, but somehow I never fit enough in. I think I need to start watching them earlier. I want to “save” them until Christmas, but then I don’t want to watch them as much (especially after Christmas is over). I think when the tree goes up (11 November) should be my cue to start watching.
Our kids used to have to come into our room to wait until everyone was awake. We would lounge on the bed and put on a Christmas cartoon. Those were the days. I think there were a few years when Coach and I were still trying to sleep, having put together toys till the wee hours. Now we have to haul people out of bed, and I’m downstairs making a big breakfast before they get up. I think we waited and filled their stockings before they came downstairs on Christmas morning this year. We had a few name tags that fell off gifts, so I’d say that led to some confusion and a few funny stories. I still intend to share those deets on my blog, so I vote that this is not too late to still speak of Christmas. Oh, something that worked – having Mini wrap what wasn’t wrapped at the store. Things I’d do different – Not SPEND $400 on meat for the dinner, serving my family of origin since they were really horrible to me/us – planning a separate party and leaving early. We think next year we might go out of town instead, as we won’t likely ever celebrate something with them again. Still hard to wrap my brain around all of that.
I’m so sorry, Ernie. It’s so hard to have a rupture in family relations and I know these relationships have caused a lot of pain over the years. It must cut even deeper to be treated this way around the holiday season. I really wish the reality was something different, but I hope this gives you some freedom you’ve been longer for and a much happier Christmas with unnecessary toxicity. *Hugs*
Okay, I can speak to the photo postcard. We did it one year and they all arrived to people’s houses looking beat up and had marks all over them from making their way through the post office. I do not recommend this, to be honest. Yes, stamps for postcards are less expensive, but it’s not worth it!
They’re actually not cheaper in Canada…we use the same stamps on postcards as we use on regular cards!!! This is helpful information and, now that I think of it, do I really want pictures of my family just openly circulating in the postal system. Very clearly the answer is NO I DON’T. Why did I even think this was a good idea??
Gifting is always our hangup, so we’ve already started a list of ideas, lol
The food really worked well, minus the fact that when we took taco salad to an extended family bash – we came home with all of it. There was SO much food, and it was cold, and what was eaten best was the soups. So, we made a note to rethink things next year.
I also literally made our a super cute “menu” page with what we made/took to each of our 3 holiday gatherings this year, and stuck it in my planner at the December spread, because you *know* I won’t remember come holiday time again, lol 🙂
It’s so easy to forget what “worked” a year later, so all the gold stars for doing future Rebecca a giant favour and writing it all out! (I’ll take some of the taco salad; yum!)
Love the debrief! I’m glad the holiday season was such a special one – lots of things went well!
My holidays were good. I think I’m going to continue decorating in mid-November because I am someone who is ready to de-Christmas on Dec 26. I don’t know why I’m like this! I do take my time so I didn’t take the tree down until the 30th, but still. My mom and I are also trying to perfect our sugar cookie recipe for Christmas cookies. We haven’t been happy with the recipe we’ve been making the past two years! And I am so happy I got automatic timers for all my Christmas lights. GAME CHANGER.
Yay for auto timers! It’s so nice to not have to think about turning on all the twinkle lights.
I’m a bit jealous that you’re ready for it to come down on Dec 26th! I feel in limbo: I want it up, but I also want it down and can’t decide. (I usually leave it up until into the new year, though).
Good thinking to write this post so you can remember it next year! I love the idea of decorating earlier. I felt like I didn’t get enough Christmas decoration time this year!
That is a great reflection on the holidays, Elisabeth. Especially great to have it on record so you can look back at your thoughts for next Christmas.
Our Christmas was nice, but next time I hope we can celebrate with my family again. I also worked a few days between Christmas and New Year’s, which wasn’t ideal because I like to have that time to wind down and reflect on the year and having to work really disrupted my (mental) conclusion of this hard last year.
I hope you get to spend next Christmas surrounded by family, my friend!