#6: The December Decision: How to Stop Holiday Overwhelm Before It Starts
Read on my website / Read time: 4 minutes
Driving home after four Christmases in five days, we were in tears.
Not tears of joy—tears of exhaustion, overwhelm, and exasperation.
Both our parents were divorced, but they all lived within two hours of each other. Obviously, we couldn't not visit all of them if we were going to the area. So, we set up Basecamp at one of our parents' houses, and each day, we traveled to one of their houses for another Christmas. In the end, we were a mess, and none of us was satisfied with the amount of time we'd spent with each one.
It was like something out of the movies!
At the time, we had young children, the desire to establish traditions of our own, and the desperate need for some downtime during the holidays. Fifteen years ago, that trip was the catalyst that helped us decide NOT to travel during the holidays.
That decision changed everything—which is exactly what we're going to explore together on November 18th in a free webinar I'm calling The December Decision. More on that at the end in the PS.
Some might feel it’s too early to start talking about Christmas, but we've already begun receiving holiday gift magazines and seeing Christmas commercials weeks ago.
Which means you're probably already feeling the pressure to plan, book, and commit.
Holiday Overwhelm Is Real
The truth is, even with that decision not to travel and other intentional ones, the holidays can STILL feel overwhelming.
Your December probably includes work projects rushing to close before year-end, endless holiday parties—company events, client dinners, kids' school celebrations, church gatherings, neighborhood parties. Then there are family expectations around travel plans, hosting duties, gift shopping, and maintaining traditions like Christmas cards.
Meanwhile, your kids' activities don't stop just because it's December, not to mention the year-end financial reviews, planning sessions, and strategic meetings that need to happen.
And somehow you're supposed to smile through it all and "enjoy the magic of the holidays," right?
Here’s the truth we know but don’t want to say: the people who matter most get whatever's left over.
Your spouse gets the exhausted, irritable version of you. Your kids get the distracted, stressed, 'not now' version. And by December 26th, you’re exhausted, and there are only a few days to recover (if you get any time off at all) before the New Year begins, and it starts all over again
This is the pattern, but maybe this year it will be different?
Your Rhythms Check
This is about your Relational rhythms—the quality of connection with the people who matter most. The holidays test these rhythms more than any other season because you're forced to choose between maintaining peace with extended family, meeting professional obligations, and protecting the sacred circle of your immediate family.
If you don't set boundaries now, you'll spend January apologizing to your spouse and kids for being absent during what should have been your most connected season. You'll have attended 15 parties but missed the moments that actually matter.
But if you make The December Decision now, you create space for the traditions that fuel you rather than drain you. You model for your children that rest isn't optional—it's strategic. You enter the new year energized, not depleted.
Your Relational rhythm determines whether the holidays strengthen your closest bonds or strain them to the breaking point.
This week's rhythm: Before you say yes to one more holiday commitment, have a 15-minute conversation with your spouse or accountability partner. Ask: "What are the three non-negotiable holiday experiences we want to protect this year?" Everything else is optional.
Which holiday obligation are you dreading most—and what would happen if you simply didn't do it this year?
Hit reply and tell me: what's ONE holiday commitment you're going to say no to this year? I want to celebrate your courage to choose rest over obligation.
Until next time,
PS - If you're realizing your December is already spinning out of control, you're not alone. On November 18th, I'm hosting a FREE webinar called The December Decision—where we'll map out how to slow the rush, protect what matters, and turn the holidays into fuel for your best year yet. No fluff, just a practical plan you can implement immediately.
Save your spot for the FREE webinar →
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