What Do You Really Want This Season to Feel Like? ❄️

Embrace the Solstice: Creating Meaningful Traditions for a Connected Season

Laia Bové

Dec 21, 2024

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Happy Solstice, my friend! ✨

This is a time to celebrate the change of seasons, it is the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, a great moment to pause, reflect, and welcome winter.

For the past way-too-f*cking-long, though, my inbox has been overflowing with emails about last-minute gift ideas with irresistible deals: - “Attention last-minute shopper!” -, and my social media feeds are saturated with pictures and videos of perfectly decorated homes and joyful people frolicking and living their best lives to the soundtrack of Holiday music.

A local coffee shop decorated for the Holidays

Everywhere I look, people are either talking about how stressed out they are or how much they must get done before the Holidays and 2025.

Isn’t this supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year”? 😶

Honestly, I’m not sure how being pressured to spend money many of us don’t have—on gifts that often feel like obligations rather than acts of love—is supposed to bring anyone any damn joy.

Growing up, Christmas (or Nadal, as we call it in Catalan) was a curious mix of pagan and Catholic traditions that my parents faithfully followed. Sure, I mostly showed up to beat up the caga tió and devour all the chocolate turrons I could find.

Presents existed, of course, but they weren’t the centrepiece. There was still a reminiscence of the Winter Solstice rituals erased and replaced centuries ago: the celebration of the shortest day and the longest night of the year; when the cycles of life slow down and nature goes into a dormant state.

This is the most wonderful time of the year, yet it is when most people feel lonely and disheartened.

So, what if we took a moment to pause and ask ourselves: What do I actually want this season and the end of this year to feel and look like?

Sit with yourself for a bit with a cozy beverage and write it out.

Traditions evolve. They adapt, shift, and reflect the values of the people who keep them alive.

Just because something has always been done one way doesn’t mean it has to stay that way forever, especially if it’s leaving everyone burnt out, broke, and resentful by New Year’s Day.

Redefining Tradition

Traditions are what hold most holidays together—a way to connect to family, communities, and even our ancestors - yet most holidays (from Christmas to Mother’s Day to Halloween) have been stripped of their rituals & meaning to be more palatable and commercial, then packaged and priced (as high as possible) to sell to the masses.

No wonder why many of us no longer feel aligned with those values, so we’re ready to rewrite what celebrating means, what family means, and what joy means.

How is it that you truly want to close out the year, whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Yuletide or nothing at all?

For me, the answer is simple. I want to enter winter and end the year feeling connected—to myself, to the people I care about, to ancestral practices, and to the quiet rhythms of this season.

I want warmth, slowness, reflection.

None of that can be found in a shopping mall or stuffed into a gift bag.

💭Reflection Exercise:

Take a moment to reflect on the holiday rituals in your life. Here are a few questions to guide your thoughts:

Which traditions feel nourishing and joyful?
Which feel like obligations or stressors?
Are there rituals you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t?
What emotions or experiences do you want to cultivate this season?

6 Ideas for Reimagining Traditions

Shift the Focus to Connection: Instead of focusing on material gifts, try creating opportunities for meaningful connection. Who do you want to spend quality time with, whether they are family or friends, in person or online?
Bring Back the Winter Solstice: Honor the season with rituals inspired by the Winter Solstice.
Start a Gratitude Practice: Begin a tradition of expressing gratitude. Journal or write notes of appreciation to friends and family members.
Make it Personal: Traditions don’t have to be big or complicated to be meaningful. Something as simple as a walk through the neighbourhood, a cozy evening of playing board games or creating something together.
Plan Ahead for Joy: Consider spreading out celebrations. If travelling or hosting on a specific date is stressful, why not celebrate when it’s easier and more enjoyable for everyone? Or why not get together with individual friends and celebrate in a way you both enjoy at a time you both enjoy? A gathering in January or February can still hold all the warmth and connection—without the seasonal chaos.
Ditch it all: Not much more to say here; just do your thing, and be free.

Tools for the Season (If You’ve Gotta Put Up With the Bullshit)

Let’s face it: sometimes, opting out of the holiday chaos isn’t entirely possible. Maybe you have family expectations, work obligations, or that one friend who insists on throwing a themed holiday party every year.

So, what can you do when the world around you is buzzing with stress and consumerism, and you’re just trying to survive it all?

Here are some tools and strategies to help you navigate the season with your mental health (and sense of humour) intact:

The Power of “No” (and How to Use It)
You don’t have to say yes to every event, obligation, or gift exchange.
Practice saying no kindly but firmly:
- “Thanks for inviting me, but I am not available this time.”
- “I love celebrating with you, but I can’t commit to [insert obligation here]. Let’s catch up [insert date here] instead.”

Setting boundaries isn’t selfish—it’s self-preservation and self-care.

Self-Regulating techniques
Learning to regulate your nervous system during the holidays can be a great resource. Here are a few simple ways to support yourself during this time of year.
- Hum on purpose: Activates the vagus nerve to promote relaxation.
- Listen to music: Soothes the mind and reduces stress through rhythmic sound. Try my new playlist.
- Diffuse lavender essential oil: Calms the nervous system with its relaxing aroma.
- Get outside & feel the air, rain, or sun on your skin: This grounds and regulates through sensory connection to nature.
- Take a shower or a bath: Eases tension with soothing water sensations.
- Move your body: Releases stress and boosts endorphins for nervous system balance. Try this yoga practice:

Embracing the Stillness of Winter

The Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year, a time for stillness, reflection, and renewal. It’s a chance to step back from the frenzy, to look inward, and to decide what truly matters as the year draws to a close.

Let’s reclaim this season—not as a marathon of consumerism or obligation, but as a time to honour our rhythms, our connections, and our need for rest and restoration.

Celebrate with a roaring fire, quiet moments of gratitude, or by dancing under the stars, but let this season be your own.

May you redefine this season to one of peace, connection, and joy—whatever that looks like for you.

How do you want this season to feel? Are there traditions you’d like to reimagine, rituals you’d love to create, or stressors you’re ready to let go of?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your reflections, ideas, or personal experiences in the comments below. Let’s inspire each other to reclaim this season in ways that truly nourish us.