6 Ways to Simplify Your Holiday Season and Find Peace After Loss
The holidays can be a beautiful time of year — full of light, warmth, and connection. But not for everyone. For those who are grieving or simply feeling overwhelmed, the season can also bring a lot of pressure and emotional weight. The endless to-do lists, crowded calendars, and expectations for perfection can leave you feeling more exhausted than joyful.
This year, it’s okay — even healing — to choose simplicity. By letting go of “shoulds” and focusing on what truly matters, you can create space for peace, rest, and meaningful connection.
Here are six ways to simplify your holiday season and bring more calm and comfort into your life.
1. Downsize the To-Do List
The holidays often come with a mile-long list of expectations — decorating, shopping, baking, wrapping, mailing, hosting, and more. But when you’re navigating grief or simply craving more peace, it’s time to release the pressure to “do it all.”
Instead, choose just one or two traditions that bring you comfort or joy. Maybe it’s watching your favorite holiday movie, lighting a candle in your loved one’s memory, or making your family’s favorite dessert. Let go of the rest this year.
By simplifying your schedule, you’ll not only free up time and energy, but you’ll also create space for genuine moments of reflection, connection, and rest. Remember: doing less doesn’t mean you care less — it means you’re choosing what matters most!
2. Shop Smart and Meaningfully
Holiday shopping can be one of the biggest sources of stress. Crowded stores, long shipping times, and the pressure to find the “perfect” gift can drain your energy quickly. Simplify your approach this year by shopping smart and from the heart.
Order gifts online to save yourself time and energy, or consider giving something more personal and meaningful. A handwritten note sharing your favorite memory, a framed photo, or a small homemade treat can mean far more than something expensive.
Find more examples of honoring your spouse using their clothing items here.
Gifts don’t have to be grand — they just need to be thoughtful. When you give with love and intention, it creates real connection, and that’s the kind of holiday magic that lasts.
3. Decorate Lightly, with Intention
If decorating feels overwhelming, it’s perfectly okay to scale back. You don’t have to deck every hall or recreate what you used to do. Grief can make even the simplest traditions feel heavy, and it’s okay to choose a gentler approach.
In the Widow 180 Workbook, The Surviving The Holidays After Loss Workbook, we address these common widow and widower struggles and what to do about them.
Pick one cozy corner or meaningful space in your home — maybe the mantle, a window ledge, or a table — and decorate it in a way that feels comforting. A candle, a small tree, or a few twinkling lights can create warmth without adding stress.
This year, focus on how your space feels rather than how it looks. Choose simplicity and serenity over sparkle and spectacle.
4. Simplify Meals and Gatherings
Holiday meals don’t have to be elaborate to be special. If cooking a full spread feels like too much, give yourself permission to simplify.
Cook just one meaningful dish — maybe your loved one’s favorite recipe or a meal that brings you comfort. Or consider hosting a potluck so you don’t have to do it all alone. Sharing the work (and the food) can turn the stress of hosting into a shared, heartwarming experience.
And if you’d rather skip the big dinner altogether? That’s okay too. Order takeout, have breakfast for dinner, or eat by candlelight while watching a favorite holiday film. The point isn’t to impress — it’s to nurture yourself and connect in ways that feel right for you.
5. Prioritize Peace Over Perfection
It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of what the holidays “should” look like — the perfectly decorated home, the smiling family photo, the flawless dinner table. But perfection is exhausting, and it’s not the goal.
This year, choose peace instead of perfection. If something drains you more than it fills you, give yourself full permission to skip it guilt-free.
You don’t need to attend every event or keep every tradition. It’s okay to say “no” to others so you can say “yes” to yourself — to rest, reflect, and breathe. When you protect your peace, you create space for true presence and joy.
6. Embrace “Good Enough”
The holidays don’t have to be picture-perfect to be meaningful. Sometimes, the most beautiful moments come from the imperfect ones — the mismatched ornaments, the quiet nights in, the simple meals shared with loved ones.
Give yourself grace this year. Embrace “good enough.” You don’t owe anyone a flawless holiday — just an honest, gentle one.
If you’re grieving, this might mean showing up in sweatpants instead of sequins, or skipping the party to spend a quiet night reflecting. That’s not failure — that’s healing.
Remember: your holiday doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. The most meaningful moments are the ones that make you feel safe, seen, and connected — no matter how simple they are.
A Reminder for the Season
Simplifying your holiday season isn’t about doing less for the sake of it — it’s about doing what truly matters. It’s about slowing down, protecting your energy, and allowing space for peace and connection to take root.
When you let go of the need to make everything perfect, you open yourself to something even better: presence. You begin to feel moments again — the glow of the lights, the warmth of a quiet evening, the sweetness of a memory that still brings a smile.
So this year, release the pressure. Choose simplicity. Choose calm. Choose yourself.
You deserve a holiday season that feels peaceful, meaningful, and full of gentle joy.
I invite you to join the Widow 180 Holiday Club this year! It is part book club, part coaching circle, and part heart-healing community! It’s everything you need this holiday season.
Together, we’ll walk through the “Surviving the Holidays After Loss Workbook” — where we will spend time each week sharing, reflecting, moving through, and finding moments of comfort and meaning along the way. (And also just some chatting and getting to know each other!)
Each week, we’ll meet live on Zoom for 60–90 minutes, beginning Monday, December 1, 2025, and continuing for four consecutive Monday evenings. 8pm EST/5pm PST
You’ll receive:
A downloadable copy of the workbook
4 live group sessions with me (Jen Zwinck, Widow Coach & Host of Widow 180: The Podcast)
Guided exercises, reflections, and coaching to help you process your emotions
A safe, supportive community of others who understand your loss
I hope to see you in the Club!
To join the Holiday Club, click here: https://www.widow180.com/holidayclub
