A Different Kind of Christmas

A Different Kind of Christmas

It’s the 22nd of December.

By now, most people are in full Christmas mode, last-minute shopping, packed diaries, food prep, and messages flying around about plans and timings.

And if I’m honest, this is usually the point where I feel… done.

Not in a dramatic way.
Just tired.
Emotionally wrung out.
Running on fumes.

December has a way of asking a lot of us anyway, but when you’re supporting a young adult who struggles with overwhelm, anxiety, trauma, and a nervous system that doesn’t cope well with pressure, the build up can feel relentless.

So this year, I’m doing Christmas differently!

Letting Go of the Christmas I Thought I’d Have

There’s a quiet grief that comes with this time of year that we don’t talk about enough.

Grief for the Christmas you imagined.
Grief for how it used to be
Grief for the ease other families seem to have.

You can love your child fiercely and still feel sad that things are hard.
Both can exist at the same time.

For a long time, I tried to push that feeling away.

But that doesn’t make the sadness disappear, it just buries it.

This year, I’m allowing it.
Not letting it take over, but not pretending it isn’t there either.

What Christmas Looks Like for Us Now

Christmas for us is no longer about squeezing everything in.

It’s about:

• fewer plans

• slower mornings

• quieter days

• having an exit route

• watching energy levels

• being ready to change plan or direction

It’s about asking, “What will help you today? Tell me what you need and we will make it happem” rather than “We are supposed to be doing...”

Sometimes that means staying in.
Sometimes it means leaving early.
Sometimes it means changing plans at the last minute.

And that’s okay.

What I’m Not Doing Anymore

I’m not faking smiles.
I’m not pushing through when things feel tough.
I’m not trying to recreate a version of Christmas that no longer fits our reality.

I’m not apologising for cancelling plans.
I’m not explaining our choices.
And I’m not measuring our Christmas against anyone else’s.

Because calm matters more than tradition.
Safety matters more than expectations.
And "peace" matters more than appearances.

If Christmas Feels Heavy for You Too

If you’re reading this and feeling that tightness in your chest, the sickness in the tummy, the sense that you should be doing more, feeling more, enjoying this more... please hear this:

You are allowed to do Christmas in a way that works for your family.

You are allowed to simplify.
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to protect your child and yourself.

This isn’t a failure.
It’s care.

A Different Kind of Christmas

This Christmas might be quieter.
It might be smaller.
It might look nothing like the one you once imagined.

But it can still be meaningful.

Sometimes, the most loving thing we can do is lower the expectations, soften the edges, and create as much calm as we can in a world that feels overwhelming.

If that’s what your Christmas looks like this year, you’re not alone.

I’ll be right there too, choosing steady over sparkle, and peace over perfection.

Your calm in the chaos,
Sami ⚓️