John Meyer Books
My Survival Guide to the Christmas Season That Never Ends…
I used to love Christmas. The return of a few favorite holiday songs. Watching It’s a Wonderful Life with the lights off (to hide the inevitable tears). Drinking rum and egg nog until you notice the weight gain. Sleeping in and loafing around the house in pajamas, because you were too lazy to go anywhere else.
It was magical, it was special, it was… a few days. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and maybe a couple of extra days here and there if Christmas landed on a weekend.
But now? The Christmas creep starts in November. Even if you’re disciplined and wait until December 1st to play holiday tunes in your house, you’re still devoting nearly 10% of your entire year to a single holiday.
It’s TOO MUCH for TOO LONG.
So here’s my survival guide to getting through the modern Christmas season with maximum magic, and without losing your mind…
••••
1. Early Music & Early Displays
The Problem: Nobody should listen to “Santa Baby” and “Wonderful Christmastime” for 8 weeks straight in every store and every public space. It’s psychological warfare on your ears.
The Survival Tip: Create your own playlist. Enter the store with YOUR music in your earbuds. Haul out your Halloween playlist one more time. Play your punk, play your funk, rock out like nobody’s watching. “Santa Baby” can wait.
And what about those early Christmas displays? Walk on by if it’s not your thing yet. You don’t have to engage with Christmas until YOU’RE ready. It’s pumpkin spice season, not turkey stuffing season. Not yet.
2. The Consumer Guilt Trip
Oh, you hear it every day. News stories talking about “slow sales” and how the holidays help businesses remain profitable. Not your problem to solve. Don’t feel guilty because of a poor business model that relies on a spending frenzy for two weeks every year.
Then the guilt becomes personal…
The Problem: Your love for your loved ones is measured in dollars. Go into debt to prove you care. The guilt about not spending “enough” is overwhelming. Ignore those credit card bills that arrive in January. That’s “next” year’s problem…
The Survival Tip: Set a budget and stick to it. Have honest conversations with your family about spending limits. Your relationships shouldn’t survive or fail based on the price tags of your presents.
3. The Trouble with Toys
Here’s what bothers me about the Santa Claus Clause: If you’re a good kid, you deserve presents. Guess what? Rich kids get big toys regardless of their behavior. So what does that say about the poor kids? Presents shouldn’t be prizes for obedience.
The Problem: Hungry kids need food and shelter, not just toys. But we prioritize wants over needs because giving toys makes us feel good about lighting up a kid’s face, rather than filling his stomach.
The Survival Tip: Balance your toy drop with donations to food banks and other organizations that provide support to needy families. And year-round support. Not just Christmas morning magic.
And what about the gadgets and toys for the grown-ups? Buy experiences over stuff. Have an adventure. Choose quality time over quantity. And if you do want to add another present to the pile, shop local.
4. The Family Guilt Trip
The Problem: The mass media demands it: mandatory togetherness with your family even if some of them are toxic, abusive, or simply exhausting. You’re guilted into spending time with people you actively avoided the other 11 months.
The Survival Tip: You’re allowed to set boundaries. You’re allowed to skip events that harm your mental health. You’re allowed to leave early. Christmastime doesn’t obligate you to suffer seasonally.
And let’s not forget the annual holiday travel nightmare that the media loves to mention every December. Avoid the expensive tickets, the airport chaos, and the worry about weather delays. How about a Zoom call instead?
Look, go if you want to go. But celebrate in person when you “can.” Not because you “must.” Guess what? There’ll be another Christmas next year too…
5. The Perfect Christmas Pressure
The Problem: Social media has turned Christmas into a competition. Pinterest-perfect recipes, Instagram-worthy decorations, Facebook humble-brags about elaborate celebrations. Your real life can’t compete with everyone’s highlight reel.
The Survival Tip: Unfollow, mute, or limit social media during December. Enjoy your burnt cookies and crooked trees in peace. Remember, nobody’s Christmas is perfect, they’re just better at filters.
And let’s not forget the self-imposed Grinches and the Scrooges. For many, Christmas isn’t the most wonderful time of the year. Every commercial, song, and movie reminds you what you’re “missing.” Lonely? Estranged? Grieving? The holidays amplify that pain.
So please, reach out to friends who may need a hand or a hug this season. Don’t just give with your wallet, open your heart and treat others with compassion and understanding.
••••
And if you do survive the season, remember: the Christmas crunch wraps up at the end of the month. And a whole new year of adventure is just around the corner—where your playlist is infinite.
For more stories about celebrating the holidays, check out:
https://www.johnmeyerbooks.com/12-movies-for-12-days-of-christmas/