At this time of year, I see a lot of blog posts sharing gift guides and Christmas wish lists. Gift giving is an important part of the holiday season but, the more I seek to declutter and simplify life, the more I find there is very little on my “Want List”. On the other hand, my “Don’t Want List” is constantly growing.
Today’s post was inspired by Suzanne from Happily Decluttered. Last year, Suzanne shared her Don’t Want List in a blog post. That prompted me to come up with a list of things for my Christmas Don’t Want List.
My Christmas Don’t Want List
A bunch of gifts I don’t need
I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but the last thing I want is a bunch of stuff I won’t use. People who know me well can tell you I always prefer an experience gift or consumables over a physical gift. With that in mind, here are some gifts I definitely don’t want for Christmas:
- Anything in non-recyclable plastic packaging (although I will make an exception for some of my favourite chocolate treats).
- Trinkets and things I will just need to declutter later.
- Heavily-scented anything! As someone who is scent-sitive, I’m very particular about scented products, including candles, personal care products, cleaning products, and air fresheners.
- Gifts from people when we’ve mutually agreed not to buy gifts for each other.
Gifts aside, there are several other things on my Christmas Don’t Want List.
Unnecessary drama
My all-time favourite Christmas movie is Christmas Vacation. One of the classic lines in the movie is when Ellen Griswold tells her daughter Audrey “I don’t know what to say, except it’s Christmas and we’re all in misery.”
There’s just something about extended family gatherings at Christmas time that ramps up the drama. I can do without that. A nice, peaceful, drama-free Christmas would be perfect.
Needing to make everything perfect
Speaking of perfect, there’s so much pressure during the holidays to make everything perfect. The perfect tree…the perfect meal…the perfect gift for everyone…all those perfectly-baked cookies.
Christmas is a lot less stressful when we let go of the need to be perfect. Over the years, I’ve learned to simplify our Christmas celebrations. The funny thing is, no-one even noticed when I stopped doing certain things.
So, here’s wishing everyone a peaceful, simple, imperfect Christmas.
Viruses
After two pandemic Christmases, I’m hoping we’ll all stay healthy this year so we can celebrate the season with extended family.
I had COVID in October, as did my husband, one of our daughters, my mum, my sister, and my other sister and brother-in-law. I’m hoping our immunity lasts until the new year, and that we can avoid the flu, RSV, colds and any other nasty viruses going around.
Overscheduling
For years, the Christmas holidays were filled with gathering after gathering. One of the nice things about those two pandemic Christmases was the ability to enjoy some quiet time at home with our family of four.
This Christmas, I don’t want to spend time rushing from event to event. Quiet time at home is enjoyable.
Extra weight from overindulging
There are so many yummy treats to enjoy at this time of year. It’s hard to resist the treats and delicious holiday meals.
I don’t want to start the new year working off extra holiday pounds, but I know telling myself not to indulge will never work. Instead, I’ll burn off the extra treats by keeping up with my at-home workouts—aiming for 30 minutes a day, or at the very least 15 minutes every day.
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Tips to simplify your holidays
If you’re looking for ways to simplify and reduce your stress levels this holiday season, you might enjoy these posts:
- Say no to stress! 12 tips for a simple Christmas
- 10 ways to enjoy a simpler, clutter-free Christmas
- 25 fun things to do when it snows
- This Christmas, give experiences instead of things
- Creative Christmas gifts for people who don’t want stuff
My Christmas Don’t Want List may be focused on the holiday season but many of these things actually apply year-round. Perhaps I need to make a new year’s don’t want list instead of new year’s resolutions goals.
What would you put on your Don’t Want List? Tell me your ideas below.
That’s a good Idea.
Thanks for dropping by!
Your list sounds pretty good so I’m stealing it…😉
Help yourself! I’m happy to share!
💗👍
An interesting piece, Michelle! I just want as less stress as possible this Christmas. I had a tough year, but I’m looking forward to seeing what’s over the horizon come the new year.
I look forward to reading more content in 2023. Sending you my best wishes and blessings from your little friend here in England. Joey! 😀
Hi Joey. A stress-free Christmas sounds wonderful. I’m sorry it has been a difficult year for you. Best wishes for Christmas and a better 2023.
I love this post, it’s so thoughtful! I had covid at the end of September, so I’m hoping I will be immune at least until the New Year too 🙂 x
Yes, fingers crossed for a healthy holiday season for all! Thanks for dropping by Caroline!
When I reached a certain age, one of my close friends and I made a pact that for Christmas, we would share the experience together (like going out for a nice holiday dinner) instead of exchanging gifts. She is the one who suggested it and it was the first time it was suggested in my circle and I gotta tell you, every year around this time, it brings me so much relief to know I have one less person to think about in terms of getting “the perfect gift”… I wish more of my friends had the same idea! It’s also hard being a parent who is trying to limit the abundance of toys and “stuff” in your own kids life because you’re constantly around family and friends who don’t have the same mindset (not that one is right and one is wrong) but it makes it difficult because then we end up doing it because if they’re going to exchange gifts then we have to too (because we’re not grinches lol) *sigh (also, you don’t want your kid feeling left out…)
My friends all had their kids years before we did. For years, we got together with them at Christmas and their kids would get tons of gifts from our friend group. And that’s on top of what they got from parents, grandparents, etc. It always felt excessive to me but, not having kids of my own at that point, I didn’t want to be the childless Grinch who complained about buying presents for my friends’ kids.
When our first daughter was born, I seized the opportunity. I suggested we stop buying gifts for the kids and instead make a charitable donation. Everyone immediately agreed, which was such a relief. 22 years later, I still make a donation to an organization supporting families in need every Christmas and will continue to do so.
That’s such a great idea and one everyone would get behind!!! Thanks for the suggestion!!
I agree about less drama and a grateful acceptance of imperfection. In fact I have a song almost finished about decreasing/avoiding drama in my life. Sadly removing drama from our lives can sometimes mean removing/avoiding the people who tend to bring it with them wherever they go… Deep breath in. Deep breath out. I love your list of possible gifts AND your ongoing encouragement to all of us that we can live more simply here on planet earth! BTW, here in Massachusetts the “tripledemic” of flu/Covid/RSV is skyrocketing. So high-quality N95 masks may need to be added back onto ALL of our holiday wish lists for use during the next few months — to honor and support and. protect the yet-again-stressed-out hospital workers, including nurses, technicians, support staff, doctors, etc. who AGAIN being overwhelmed with patients needing urgent care.
I always find it interesting when I publish a post and you say you’re working on a song about a similar theme. We must be kindred spirits, Will!
Yes, it is sad that removing drama may mean limiting our interactions with certain people but I think each of us has to take ownership of our own mental wellbeing.
Our Ontario hospitals are in the same position. We have backed off on all COVID restrictions, and there is no appetite to reinstate them. My husband, daughter and I all had COVID in October, as did my mum, my sister, and my other sister and brother-in-law. However, the flu and RSV are worrisome. Here’s hoping for a safe and healthy Christmas for us all.
Although I haven’t consciously thought about what I don’t want for Christmas, there are certainly things I’d rather avoid and try to as much as possible.
Perfection is impossible, and Christmas is one of those times if years where you should make less of an effort to reach perfection. Keep Christmas low-key and fun. There’s nothing better than being in your PJ’s all day, even when eat Christmas dinner.
I’m also with your on unwanted gifts. I wish people would stop buying me alcohol as a gift. It’s not because I don’t like drinking, because I still drink. I just don’t drink that often. Not enough to warrant having a bottle of spirit gathering dust on my shelves.
I’m also tied of having gifts that I need to get rid of, because they have little to no value to me. It’s just wasteful for everyone involved
I’ve recently fallen ill, so at the moment I just want to get better in time for Christmas without causing someone else to fall ill. I hope you don’t fall ill this close to Christmas. Happy holidays
Hi there. Thanks for dropping by. You’re right that Christmas is so much less stressful when we let go of the need to be perfect or even just keeping up with others.
I really hope you are feeling well in time for Christmas. Take care of yourself.
love this concept! I think the holidays sometimes brings this idea of overconsumption and the so called need in things we really don’t.
That’s so true. I often tell people I don’t need anything, and then they ask what I want. Happy holidays!
This reminds me of a to-don’t list, one that I’ve been neglecting to update for the longest time. Getting unneeded gifts can be an issue for sure. But getting gifts that I’ll make full use of (like an air fryer or a carbon steel skillet) would be nice :P. Season’s greetings, by the way!
Yes, wanted and needed gifts are always nice. Season’s greetings to you too Stuart!
I agree. I don’t want any dramas this Christmas. I like the idea of a ‘don’t want’ list.
Yes. Wouldn’t a drama-free Christmas be wonderful?
Loving this creative don’t want list! I am with you on anything heavily scented. <3
Thanks Jaya. I always have to remind family and friends about the scented products and not to wear perfume around me. It’s surprising how many people don’t give it any thought.
Since we are on the road now, we are giving gift cards to our immediate family and a Christmas card to friends. We won’t have any of the “don’t wants” this year, I love your list!
Gift cards are always a great idea. Enjoy your first Christmas on the road!
Thank you so much! 🎄
Those bullets are spot on, Michelle. My sisters add ribbons to their presents but we recycle them all. We’ve been using them for years.
Oh I love that. We have boxes and gift bags that have been doing the rounds for years! 💚
I feel like my don’t want list is very similar to yours. I’m not really big on gifts overall, but am happiest with gifts that are experiences or consumables or something practical that I’ve been meaning to buy for myself (I just got spatulas in a secret Santa exchange and am overjoyed lol). I really prefer to not get knickknacks aka “dust collectors” 🙂
Oh yes. There’s nothing like a practical gift that you really need. 💚