Your Guide to a Cultivated and Joyful Holiday

Your Guide to a Cultivated and Joyful Holiday

Like many things in 2021, the holidays might look a little different this year. That doesn't mean they can't be peaceful, joyful, and cultivated, though! Our team put together this Wildcard page just for you: to help you focus on what matters this season, and let go of the rest. It might be just what you've been looking for!


After you've identified your priorities, there's a space on the worksheet to list a few action items for the season ahead. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive to do list, but instead a way to highlight what is most important to you! If you need a few ideas of what to add to your worksheet or Tending List, we gathered a few below - and would love to hear your ideas in the comments, too!



Preparing well for the holidays:

  • Order holiday cards
  • Update your address book
  • Plan your calendar, accounting for travel plans/guests, activities, events, and babysitters, if necessary
  • Choose a devotional or faith focus (have to recommend our Write the Word™ Advent bundle!)
  • Draw names for family or friend gift picks
  • Coordinate holiday plans with family or friends
  • Make a gift plan (Emily on our team likes to use a Google Doc - one sheet for each year, so she can easily go back and look at what she gave in past years!)
  • Buy tickets for special holiday activities
  • Gather your gift wrapping supplies and put them in an easy-to-access location
  • Make a budget (include gifts, activities, events, and extras like decor or pajamas!)
  • Brainstorm holiday food (big "event" meals and smaller ones, too!)
  • "Clear the decks" before adding in holiday decor. Tidy trouble spots, throw away trash, and remove extra items from surfaces.
  • Make a plan for generosity and service


Enjoying the holidays:

  • Pay for the person behind you in the drive-through line
  • Donate toys to a local organization
  • Bake treats and gift them to friends or neighbors
  • Work on a puzzle
  • Read favorite holiday stories
  • Drive (or walk!) to look at houses with their holiday lights
  • Make a homemade wreath with live evergreen branches
  • Host a holiday movie marathon

What holiday items have you added to your November or December Tending List? We'd love to hear!

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Emily Thomas

Emily Thomas

Emily Thomas

Emily Thomas has been writing content for Cultivate What Matters for over four years. Her passion is helping women unlock what matters most in their lives and living the lives they’ve always dreamed of. She lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband, three kids, and Golden Retriever, Dolly.

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