25 Holiday Self-Care Ideas For Moms That Will Save Your Sanity!
The holiday season is supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year”, right?
But for us moms, it can also be downright exhausting! Between the shopping lists, meal planning, decorating, and the kids being off from school, it’s all too easy to end up feeling completely drained. But what if we carved out a little time to take care of ourselves, too? After all, a happier, calmer mom makes for a happier holiday season for everyone. That’s why I’ve put together these 25 holiday self-care ideas to help you relax, recharge, and actually enjoy this time of year without losing your sanity. Whether you’ve got five minutes or a full afternoon (a mom can dream!), there’s something here for everyone!
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25 Holiday Self-Care Ideas
These holiday self-care ideas are meant to help you feel present, take a break from the chaos of the season, and just enjoy this time of the year. Feel free to jump around to the holiday self-care ideas that interest you most.
1. Read a holiday book.
I’m a big reader and jumping into some Christmas books is one of my favorite holiday self-care ideas. I used to just reserve December for reading holiday books, but now I start in November since I enjoy them so much! Some of my favorite holiday books are the Winter Street series by Elin Hilderbrand and One More for Christmas by Sarah Morgan. The books that I can’t wait to read this year are The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan, A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber, and The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne.
2. Cuddle with your child.
Grab a cozy blanket and curl up with your child. My girls like to be on-the-go, moving from one activity to the next, so I relish those moments when they just want to cuddle with me. My heart feels so full, and it’s so nice to just slow down and relax together.
3. Decorate a room.
I easily get overwhelmed decorating for the holidays. It’s fun but it’s also a lot of work! I’ve found it easier to just tackle one room at a time. When I’m decorating the Christmas tree, I try to focus on one box of ornaments at a time. When I have all the decorations out in front of me I end up rushing just to get it all done, and I don’t actually enjoy the task. Break the larger decorating tasks into smaller, more manageable ones, and you just might enjoy them!
4. Do yoga.
Take a break from the chaos and do some mindful movement. If you don’t want to take a class at a yoga studio, there’s plenty of classes you can try on YouTube, like Jess Rockwell’s Christmas Yoga class!
5. Get a holiday drink.
Are you a Dunkin’ Donut or Starbucks fan? Both have some delicious holiday drinks, so treat yourself to one! I’m a big peppermint fan so I usually love any drink with that flavor.
6. Listen to holiday music.
Holiday music always boosts my mood. I love the Holly channel on Sirius XM. Put some music on and have a dance party with your kids. You’ll enjoy being silly and having lots of laughs together.
7. Bake Christmas cookies.
When I was a kid my mom would make at least eight different types of Christmas cookies and some of my favorite holiday memories were helping her bake them. Now my girls get in on the fun too. We find time close to Christmas where we get together at my parents’ house, put on some Christmas music, and bake and decorate cookies. Butter cookies with sugar sprinkles are my favorite!
8. Reflect on the year.
Take some time to just think about all you have accomplished this year, big or small. What are you proud of? What challenges did you overcome? Did you make any major changes? What are you grateful for?
9. Take a festive drive.
Put on some comfy clothes and take a ride around the neighborhood to see all the different lights. I’m usually able to get a list of the houses in our town with extra special lights on Facebook and then I plan out a route for us to take. We saw some really great houses last year so I’m looking forward to going again this year.
10. Drink hot cocoa.
Drinking hot cocoa feels so nostalgic to me. As a kid I loved playing in the snow and then coming inside for some hot cocoa. Piling on the marshmallows is the best part!
11. Do a holiday workout.
One of my favorite holiday self-care ideas is a great workout. In December I pretty much just stick to holiday workouts since they are such a fun mental and energy boost. If you have a Peloton I have some fun recommendations for you. Some of my favorite classes are Kendall Toole’s 30 min Paramount Holiday Ride from 12/20/23 (there were movie clips!), Leanne Hainsby-Alldis’ 30 min Holiday Ride from 12/3/23, and Callie Gullickson’s 30 min Holiday Bootcamp from 12/5/22.
12. Eat mindfully.
If you’re enjoying a nice holiday meal, take the time to savor it. Try to be present and really enjoy the tastes and smells of your food. Even better if you can enjoy a meal alone but I know how hard that can be!
13. Play in the snow.
Go outside and play with your kids in the snow. Just being present and having fun is one of the best holiday self-care ideas. Build a snowman, make snow angels, or have a snowball fight. Run around and just be silly and laugh with your kids.
14. Bake for others.
If baking is therapeutic for you, then bake some of your favorite desserts and give them as gifts. You can also involve the kids as a fun activity too.
15. Make a to-do list.
The holidays are overwhelming because there’s so much we have to get done! Instead of keeping all your tasks stored in your head, write them down. Break larger tasks – such as decorate – into smaller more manageable tasks, such as unpack Christmas tree, put on lights, put on tinsel, hang fragile ornaments, hang durable ornaments, etc. While your list may be long, you’ll feel so good crossing items off your list!
16. Meditate.
A 5-10 minute meditation will leave you refreshed and ready to tackle whatever is next on your to-do list. If you have time for a longer meditation, take one!
17. Light a scented candle.
We have an artificial Christmas tree but I love lighting a scented candle and feeling like I have a real tree. I find the pine scent to be so relaxing.
18. Watch a holiday movie.
A holiday movie can help you get into the spirit. Some of the movies on our rotation each year are National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the Home Alone series, and The Santa Clause series. I also enjoy watching Hallmark Christmas movies as cheesy as they may be.
19. Shop for yourself.
Take a break from buying for others and treat yourself to something off your Christmas wishlist. You definitely deserve it!
20. Wrap gifts.
Wrapping gifts is another task that can EASILY feel overwhelming. At least it does for me! On the other hand, some people find wrapping therapeutic, especially making the gifts look so pretty. I try to make it more manageable by wrapping for one person at a time. Even though it can be stressful, wrapping gets me excited for the holidays.
21. Write in a journal.
Practicing gratitude can bring positivity when you’re stressed during the holidays. Journaling for self-care won’t take much time out of your day with The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal since it has prompts that can be filled out in just a few minutes each day.
22. Spend time with family.
Take some time to be present with your family. You don’t even have to be doing anything special! Have conversations with your children, ask them questions, and give them your full attention when they are talking to you.
23. Do a holiday puzzle.
If your kids love puzzles as much as mine do, do a holiday puzzle together.
24. Write a letter to Santa.
If your kids are writing a letter to Santa, join them and write one too! You’ll feel like a kid again. Ask Santa for items you actually want or you can even use your letter as a way to manifest your wishes for the new year.
25. Do nothing.
One of the most fulfilling holiday self-care ideas can be doing nothing. Sit in peace and quiet. Just relax and fill your cup.
Choose a few of these holiday self-care ideas!
As the holiday chaos kicks into high gear, remember that you deserve moments of peace and joy just as much as everyone else. These 25 holiday self-care ideas are here to remind you that taking time for yourself isn’t selfish—it’s necessary. By nurturing your own well-being, you’ll have the energy, patience, and joy to make this season truly special for you and your family. So go ahead, try a few of these self-care tips for busy moms, and give yourself permission to savor the season in a way that feels good for you.
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