How to get into Christmas spirit and in the right mood for Christmas? Get merry for Christmas… How do I quickly increase the desire for Christmas? How to look forward to Christmas Eve? Why is Christmas only stressful and commercial? What helps against Christmas frustration? How to help a Grinch get into the Christmas spirit? Be merry on command?
The moment when you enter a supermarket lost in thought and suddenly stop in front of the gingerbread, startled. Is it really that time again? Wasn’t it just Easter? You know that this is the moment when the end of the year and the pre-Christmas period begin. It doesn’t matter if the weather was still 30 degrees…
At the latest when the first Christmas markets open, you should accept that December is all about Christmas. You can try to ignore it as long as possible, but at some point you have to surrender, or hole up completely.
I’ve collected some tips for you that will make it easier for you to get into the Christmas spirit…
Advent calendar
As a kid, the run-up to Christmas always started with an Advent calendar. No matter how big and what content – every day you were allowed to open a door and knew how many times you still had to sleep. This magic has not changed for many to this day. The little ritual not only looks cute, but also increases the desire for Christmas.
Maybe you also give away an Advent calendar to a loved one and even make one yourself, if you like it even more personal. I also have a few cute advent calendars this year, like a little hotel house filled with Lindt chocolate.
Advent wreath
A self-made Advent wreath not only looks the most beautiful, but also brings Christmas spirit with it, if you have made a wreath yourself. Everything then smells of fresh fir greenery and the wreath is properly decorated individually with exactly the candles that you have chosen yourself.
This year I was lucky enough to be part of the big Advent wreath making event at the Radisson Blu Hamburg Airport Hotel. The hotel organizes the event for their partners as a thank you for Christmas. Step by step what to do is explained even for beginners. In addition, there were delicious warm Christmas drinks and a great buffet. Everyone was able to put together their wreath the way they liked it best. I made a variable wreath with different themes :). A great idea and a successful mood for the Christmas season with appropriate Christmas music.
Of course, you can also use an alternative Advent wreath. Some pretty ideas for Advent wreaths can even be found online. Every Sunday you light another candle and be happy about it.
Christmas decoration
Now it’s time for more Christmas spirit to decorate the apartment. Finally, the box with the inscription “Christmas” can come out of the basement. Depending on your taste, small Christmas figures or music boxes or fir trees made of wood now appear. There are no limits and everyone can decorate as much as he likes and suits him. Of course, for many, decorating already begins with a complete cleaning of the apartment.
If you feel like it, you can also decorate your balcony or windows with fairy lights. Everything that makes it cozy fits especially well now. On the sofa can now gladly a few cozy blankets and cozy pillows more than usual.
Candles and fireplace
Nothing is more romantic and cozy than beautiful candles. The flickering of the candles conveys a very special Christmas mood and coziness. The special something can be found in Christmas scented candles. If you like it really traditional, you can also light an incense burner.
Who has one, should now also light the fireplace, whether real or filled with BIO ethanol. It’s just nice to watch the flames and dream. However, please always make sure that nothing can burn and you never leave the flames and candles unattended – otherwise it was with the Christmas spirit again.
Visit a Christmas market
My absolute top tip for getting into the Christmas spirit. Best in cold weather and in the evening, where the lights shine even brighter. Everything smells so delicious and the mulled wine or children’s punch simply tastes best here. Those who have been able to resist Christmas so far will now be caught up in the spirit.
It’s best to meet up with friends you haven’t seen for a long time. Maybe it will become a tradition? Make time for the Christmas market and buy at least one bag of roasted almonds!
If you have a choice, choose a day during the week and avoid the weekend. You can also find my recommendations for Christmas markets in my Christmas section.
Write a wish list
For more Christmas spirit, think about what gifts you would like for yourself. You might not think of something right away, but if you spend a day carefully observing your everyday life, you might notice one or two practical or nice things for yourself. Whether it’s a great handbag, warm gloves, a new pan…. everything that you would otherwise buy for yourself.
If you want to be sure, look for the exact product description. Now when someone asks you what you want, you have a whole list. If these wishes remain unfulfilled, you can of course fulfill them yourself and start the new year with them.
Buy gifts
Look for the right gifts for the loved ones you want to give. If you do not know the taste exactly, ask rather for a wish list or with what you can make the person a joy. Whether you then e.g. around the gloves then still a warm sweater binds, remains up to you… Maybe you agree on a number of gifts, if it is unclear how much you want to give each other.
Whether you find something online or go searching around town, stay calm and don’t despair if you don’t like it right away. In a pinch, I still have an overview of last minute gift ideas for you. Otherwise, sometimes a window shopping helps and brings to it again Christmas mood, if you look at the lovingly decorated shop windows and lights.
Sometimes it also lifts the Christmas mood to craft something personal. Just think about how the other person will be happy when he gets your gift. It’s not about the size or value of a gift, it’s about thinking about it and making them happy. Sometimes just homemade cookies in pretty wrapping will do the trick.
Wrapping gifts
Choose beautiful wrapping paper and wrap the gifts lovingly. Maybe you have a few fir branches or baubles left over that you can attach to the packages. If you give a lot of gifts, think of nice name tags.
Those who live far away may receive a gift in the mail from you. Remember to mail the gift early enough so it doesn’t arrive after Christmas.
Writing Christmas cards
Choose beautiful Christmas cards for the people you really want to send a card to. Maybe for older people, include a nice photo of you or from the past. Of course, in this day and age, it’s quicker to write an email, but a card can be put up or hung on the wall. Both are nice, but a card is definitely more personal.
Bake cookies
Well, how about snacking on cookie dough again? It’s easy! Pick out a pretty baking book and mix up the dough and you’re ready to get started. Put on some Christmas music and have a baking day. Try whatever you want to try. From classic cookies to intricate works of art.
You can eat the finished cookies yourself, or bring them to other people you meet, as you like. Of course, you can send cookies with the Christmas cards, but they should not be “dry” cookies, because they may arrive completely crumbled.
You might also buy a new cookie cutter or cookie stamp to help motivate you if you need a little push. If you’re brave, maybe even try your hand at a gingerbread house?
Eat gingerbread
Instead of cake on Sunday, just go ahead and have gingerbread. Some don’t eat gingerbread, cookies and stollen until after Christmas, however, it helps to get into the Christmas spirit if you snack in advance. Gingerbread and speculoos also only taste good in winter at Christmas time.
Drinking mulled wine, Christmas tea, Christmas coffee
Whether Christmas mood at the Christmas market or at home, just warm up once a mulled wine or children’s punch. The scent also brings something Christmas. Especially if you have been walking in the cold before.
Just try once a delicious Christmas tea. The taste of cinnamon or baked apple tastes best at Christmas time and automatically brings a little more Christmas spirit. I look forward every year again to the red Christmas cups at Starbucks and the first Toffee Nut Latte or Ginger Bread Latte. Nespresso also has great special Christmas varieties again this year for all connoisseurs.
Use Christmas cups
For me, the Christmas season starts with putting my everyday coffee cups in the cupboard and swapping them out with my Christmas cups. Over the past few years, I’ve collected so many beautiful mugs that I’m happy every time I get to use them. Some of the cups that are not too Christmasy, I then continue to use in the winter. Maybe you also have special coffee or tea cups that you haven’t thought of?
Listen to Christmas songs
For some it is to run away, if one hears everywhere the same Christmas songs, however it belongs now times to Christmas. Without “Last Christmas” – no Christmas :). No matter how annoying the songs, best sung along loudly (if you are alone). I have put together a playlist with my favorite Christmas songs. I always listen to them when I feel like Christmas mood, as well as on the holidays then next to the fir tree.
If you are looking for a good CD with the most beautiful Christmas songs, I can recommend the Kuschelrock Christmas CD – actually there are three CDs, yes according to mood modern, traditional and classical music. If you want more Christmas mood, I recommend the music you listened to as children. If necessary, a CD with children’s Christmas songs.
Christmas movies and stories
Just before Christmas, countless Christmas movies for more Christmas spirit run on TV. Sometimes corny, sometimes romantic and sometimes silly or extreme. There is something for every taste. From the Christmas story with Scrooge (e.g. Muppets Christmas Story) to Die Hard, everything is there. Movies like Love Needs No Vacation, Love Actually, The Miracle of Manhattan, Soldier of Fortune, Kevin Alone at Home, The Little Lord and many more remind you entertainingly what Christmas is all about.
If you prefer to read, you may now pull out your Charles Dickens Christmas story or perhaps read one to someone? Or maybe you prefer to rummage through old photo albums to remember your own childhood?
Christmas outfit
Think about what you want to wear for Christmas. Maybe you want to buy something special for it, like Christmas tights or Christmas socks. You can wear the socks from the middle of December, as well as the Christmas sweater. In general, it’s fun to dress up and style yourself pretty for Christmas. Curls and red lips are popular for styling again this year.
Christmas menu
Plan your Christmas menu and buy specifically for it. It doesn’t have to be the traditional Christmas goose, but preferably a dish that you will only eat at Christmas. Maybe a soup with Christmas noodles as an appetizer or the carrots cut out in little stars…. there are no limits.
Whether you’re having fondue or raclette for the holidays, or potato salad and sausages – do it the way you and your guests want it! Maybe there is a delicious Christmas ice cream for dessert or a traditional pudding?
In addition to the menu, the table decorations can also already spread fun and Christmas spirit. Special napkins or a little chocolate Santa and nuts on the plates and table….
Christmas tree
A Christmas tree is still part of the perfect Christmas mood for many. While some choose a tree themselves in the forest, make it already enough to find the perfect tree at the local dealers. Quite comfortably and somewhat more lastingly it goes now also by on-line supply of the Christmas tree.
Those who have chosen their tree have a good feeling about Christmas. The size is no longer so important. Where once it had to be the biggest tree, today it is more important that it fits the apartment. The smell of fresh fir definitely brings Christmas spirit and memories.
In America, the trend of fake Christmas tree or plastic Christmas tree has long become normal. Here, the completely decorated artificial Christmas tree is taken out of the closet or box again at Christmas. Certainly practical, however, a piece of Christmas spirit is lost here in my opinion.
What I liked to do last was to clamp my Christmas tree on the terrace already in the stand (the best stand I’ve ever had) and use small fairy lights for outdoor and indoor use and let them shine. So my patio was nicely decorated and the tree was already getting water. Christmas Eve, all that was left to do was move the tree into the living room and add baubles.
Decorate Christmas tree
When to decorate a Christmas tree? Then, when you want to. For some it is unimaginable to have a decorated tree in the room before Christmas, for some it is unimaginable to see a Christmas tree in the room on New Year’s Eve. Here the tastes and the traditions are different.
For me it always belonged to decorate the tree in the morning of the 24th with Christmas music. Over the last few years I have collected many special baubles. Some of them may seem kitschy or too special for strangers – but for me they bring back many wonderful memories. Every year, I look forward to seeing the special pendants again. For many Americans, the Christmas tree is already decorated and arranged directly after Thanksgiving and I was able to get used to that quickly and well, too.
Set up a nativity scene
For some, a nativity scene with Nativity figurines is part of Christmas and the perfect Christmas spirit. For some, the baby is also placed in the manger after going to church. The three holy kings are then added only on the sixth of January. It’s certainly fun to keep looking at Christmas markets for a little addition, like a fountain or one more sheep. Some even collect fresh moss for the Christmas crib.
I have a nativity scene as well, but only because I found the cutest nativity figurines during a visit to the US and they needed a home.
Going to church
The non plus ultra for Christmas spirit on Christmas Eve is going to church, no matter how religious you are. The atmosphere, the children’s eyes, the songs…. here you can forget about all the stress and start rejoicing that it’s Christmas.
Dress up chic and visit a Christmas mass near you. If it’s not for you after all, you certainly don’t have to stay until the end. 🙂
Visit or invite family and friends
Enjoy Christmas with people you care about and care about you. If you can’t be there in person, get in touch by phone if you feel like it. Only when you feel comfortable will it be a great Christmas.
What’s more fun than seeing the bright eyes when the gifts you’ve chosen are unwrapped? Eating together and looking at the tree together.
How to get into the Christmas spirit – Conclusion
My Christmas spirit tips are certainly not everyone’s ultimate tool for getting into the Christmas spirit and looking forward to the holiday, but it may remind some of you of a good time. Christmas will be over sooner than some of you would like….
For those of you who just want to get into the Christmas spirit a little minimally, without decorating or changing much, I recommend gingerbread, scented candles and Christmas movies. Please do not pretend and just listen to your gut feeling. If you do not get into the Christmas spirit for private reasons, then you do not need to do this for others. Rather then minimize Christmas and let others enjoy the festivities.
For all who now feel like Christmas: HAPPY CHRISTMAS and enjoy the special mood, which exists only once a year. Feel hugged!
