Have Yourself a Minimalist Christmas: Slow Down, Save Money & Enjoy a More Intentional Holiday

by Meg Nordmann, Meg Nordmann

Do you dread the high cost that comes with purchasing Christmas gifts? ​Do you feel overwhelmed when decorating for the holidays? ​Do you feel defeated by not having enough time to fulfill all of society's idealized holiday traditions? ​Do you feel exhausted from picking up mountains of toys and dread adding even more to your home? ​Do you feel the urge to scale back, but you’re not sure how to get your family on board? ​If you answered yes to any of these, the way out of this rut is to successfully “Have Yourself a Minimalist Christmas.” You do not need to be a practicing minimalist to receive the benefits of the actionable items in this book. Even minimalists struggle during this busy, consumerist-driven season! Minimalism is a philosophy and lifestyle that encourages intentionality with your money, items and time. It is a deliberate, simple way of life where each item brings you true value and true joy. ​This book will shift your mindset by walking you through the basics of minimalism and exploring the relatively new history of the “Story of Santa” to more easily resist the clever marketing and cultural expectations of this season. After a brief synopsis of the author’s own minimalism journey with two children, and her struggles during Christmas time, Meg Nordmann gives actionable steps you can take to have more control of this season. Her steps will help you craft a peaceful, slower, and less expensive holiday. ​Some of the strategies discussed are how -Prep and declutter four main areas of your home -Simplify your decorating -Say “No” with grace -Curate a holiday calendar with a slow, intentional pace for events and traditions -Become more present and less distracted -Purchase drastically fewer gifts (three strategies) -Explain your minimalist goals to extended family -Prepare children of all ages for a “smaller” Christmas -Make room for the inevitable new items entering your home ​Whether you are currently a minimalist or have never heard of minimalism, everyone can benefit from the mindset shifts needed to best prepare for the busiest and most expensive time of the year. ​Technology, algorithms, marketing experts, influencers and our own peers can be incredible forces to resist. These lead to an expensive and overwhelmingly busy few months, as they urge us to chase perfect gifts and perfect ideals. By putting the tips outlined in this book into practice, you will instead discover a more simple and slower pace of life with a focus on gratitude and time with your loved ones. “Have Yourself a Minimalist Christmas” and discover the peace and joy we all crave during this magical time of year.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christmas, Audiobook, Self Help

134 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2020

Reviews

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A festive re-wrapping of minimalist mantras to help those of us who are lucky to have all the things realize we don't need all the things.... even during the holidays.

3.5 stars rounded up because I DON'T NEED MORE SCENTED CANDLES OR CHOCOLATE SANTAS BUT THANK YOU THO.

[Summer Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

my takeaways:

- Use the Four Gift Rule (want, need, wear, read)
- Focus on meaningful traditions (quality time, personal decorations, games)
- Minimize decorations and/or use DIY nature decorations that can be composted
- Alternative Christmas parties; a cookie swap, black tie, Secret Santa gift exchange, potluck, New Years vision board planning, christmas ornament craft day

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good tips to celebrate the “season” vs overspending and overdoing. I love the idea of keeping things simple. I’ve already started living this way but next year I’ll be implementing a lot of her ideas!

[Teri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a handle on decluttering and minimalism but this drew me because of its specificity to the holidays. Some parts were too detailed and some not enough. I gleaned the most from a new framing of how to view my wardrobe.

A lot was more geared to parents of younger children.

I fantasized about a chapter on when to seek mental health support for an unhealthy attachment to material goods. But perhaps the mini-storage lobbyists got to her.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick listen this morning while I cleaned the house. While I personally didn't learn anything new, it is nice to have minimalism consistently at the forefront of my mind, most especially during the holiday season. I would absolutely suggest to someone who was overwhelmed and looking for explicit instructions to navigate the holiday season.

[Mandi Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very quick read with accessible and easy-to-apply advice. This book has me looking forward to the holiday season a bit more this year and gave me the right language to talk to my 10-year-old about pairing down his room. Using this advice in this book, he's actually on board and excited to declutter.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard this mentioned on a minimalist podcast. It had some good reminders about being intentional, but didn’t really offer anything new or useful about how to escape the annual crap exchange. It is a very short listen and I would recommend giving this a listen in the fall before you start making plans and lists.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring! Provides a gentle reminder to slow down, focus on what is most important to you and your family during the Christmas season. I listened to the audiobook.

[KB · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’ve already looked into minimalism, decluttering, etc. you will absolutely not need to read this. It’s just recycled information with nothing new. If you’re looking for a great book about changing how you celebrate Christmas let me recommend Calm Christmas by Beth Kimpton.

[Kadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I get REALLY overwhelmed by Christmas clutter and this was a good little reminder of what I can and can't control.

[Melissa Layne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great suggestions for simplifying the season, and keeping your focus and finances on what really matters to you and your family. Simple and practical advice.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not at all impressed.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

The background of the author's journey to minimalism was more interesting than I expected, and also a great way to start off on a non-judgmental tone for those who aren't currently living minimalist lifestyles. The length of the background compared to the rest of the book seemed incongruous, though. I wish the history of Christmas was a expanded on a little more, but what was explained was insightful. The actual application of applying minimalism to Christmas could have been lengthened, especially in how to deal with the emotions tied up in the consumerist traditions. Personally people need help in not feeling guilt about not buying so many things or participating in "all the things." And other people in our lives need to respect changes that are made. These were touched on, but as another review stated, a bigger chapter could have been completely dedicated to the idea. I checked out the author on Instagram and she recently posted about social media's influence on holidays. That in itself would have made a wonderful addition to this book. Overall, I would recommend this as a short read to others wanting to try a different approach to Christmas.

[LisaO · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a lot of it was similar to other concepts I’ve read or heard, I really appreciated her tips on how to have potentially uncomfortable conversations or how to react in a gracious manner when things don’t go our way. She also acknowledges gift giving might bring a lot of joy to people. I really liked the idea of being more aware of which item of multiples I use first or gravitate toward. A lot of things may “spark joy” or maybe they don’t “spark joy” but are necessary. I think it’s a great tool to be aware of the things we use most often or first to help potentially pare down.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

I doubt many people who pick up this book are going to learn anything new. Buy less stuff! Spend your time on experiences than things! Books on minimalism always seem to have this underpinning of bourgeois values to them - they always seem to have some suggestion like "why don't you all get together with all of your friends and talk about your dreams? Also, why don't you go hike on a mountain with your kids after the sailboat race?" Yes, the author mentions all these things - I don't suspect she can see how aristocratic ideas like this sound.

[Austin Garilli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more of a reminder to keep it minimal - I already employ much of what was said (I listened to it rather than read it). Still, it’s a nice heads-up to slow down.

[Artemisia Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Browsing through Hoopla, I found this delightful audiobook that sounded perfect for this time of year. I’m not exactly a minimalist (yet), but a much pared down lifestyle is something that appeals to my values of living a simple and environmentally sustainable life. And so I have been steadily whittling away at my possessions for some time now, to be in line with these values, and also for the very practical reason that I don’t want my kids to have to deal with a lot of stuff when I’m gone. Still, Christmas is always a challenge and the time of year when I find it hardest to live my values. And so this year I used this wonderful minimalist guide to the holidays to keep me on my path as I prepared for the busiest, most stressful time of the year. Luckily, Meg Nordmann covers everything from gift giving to decorating, and even has advice for not over-scheduling too many holiday events as well. She even recommends some pre-Christmas decluttering to make room ahead of time for the presents that will be coming your way. And the good thing is how she makes all of this sound entirely doable and very appealing at a time when lavish overindulgence have become the norm. Mind you, there’s nothing earth-shattering here, but just a lot of nice reminders to keep you in line at a time when it is far too easy to go overboard.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the years go on, I simplify the holidays more and more. The kitties have helped pare down decor - I have a small fiberoptic tree and unbreakable ornaments (mostly handmade), but even that hasn't made an appearance the past couple years so decorating consists of a single trip to the basement for 2 wreaths and stockings.

This book discusses ways to make the holidays less stressful and shift away from constant shopping and excess stuff. Better read earlier in the year - autumn would be a great time - there are tips for decluttering your home as well as how to curb what may come your way from others around the holidays. I love that she refers to the Konmari method too. So many of these books try to reinvent the wheel.

I love the 4 gift rule - something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read - and only doing gifts for 18 and under. I've always hated the pressure of gift giving. I'd much rather give something when I feel inspired to do so instead of out of obligation because of a date on the calendar. Focus your time and efforts on those things that bring real joy and create lasting memories.

Definitely worth a read if you're interested in less stressful holidays and a less cluttered home.

[Stephanie Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’ve at all delved into the world of minimalism or intentional living the ideas presented in this book will be nothing new or earth-shattering. It somehow managed to vaguely gloss over some things while also digging into other things with way more detail than was necessary. Much of the book, especially the first half, seemed to focus on more general decluttering and sorting and the only thing Christmas about it was that you’d plan this decluttering for before the holiday. It could just as easily have been “Have Yourself a Minimalist Easter” with the same decluttering info followed by instructions to tackle this in the spring and leave winter tasks until another time. The later part of the book seemed more holiday-centred than the first half but overall it fell short for me. Perhaps my expectations were off but I thought it was going to delve more into specific holiday ideas than it did and when it didn’t it felt fairly superficial, I guess?
And this is probably less important as it’s just a personal opinion but the narration and general presentation felt hard to really relate to, staged almost?
I think my favourite part was near the beginning when the author gave info about the history of commercialized aspects of the holidays. If you’re someone who tends to feel inspired to be productive simply from reading (or listening to) a book on the topic it may be worth picking up but if you’re looking for something more substantial it may be best to pass on this one.

[Rosary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I have been wanting to cut back on our Christmases for a while now, and I have struggled with how to really go about it. The chapter I most enjoyed was about how to really talk to family about cutting back because I feel like it’s hard to get otters to realize how important it is for our immediate family to make the holiday more about enjoying and celebrating the reason for Christmas versus the presents. The best advice I got from the book was when it said to allow people to give because that’s how they express themselves sometimes. At the same time, don’t feel guilt for not keeping things if they don’t fit into your family’s situation. I also really liked some of the ideas about teaching kids to clear out space before the holidays. All in all, this was a great reminder and I already want to send it to family members to read! I’m glad I read it before the crazy season because I am already planning to put some of this advice into action.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the useful part of this book was a passage I’d read in Real Simple Magazine. Nordmann discussed hard vs loose plans during the holidays. I found this concept to be useful year around in that it helps trim down the activities on the calendar so that it’s not stress-inducing. The other thing I found to be useful in this book was Nordmann’s take on Marie London’s Spark Joy concept. Taking the spark Joy concept to the next level of “which of these remaining items would I reach for first?” is a good way to deal with excess as I agree with Nordmann’s point that MANY things can spark joy but not all things could/should be kept. Aside from these two things, the rest of the concepts can be found in many other books on minimalism.

[Lindsay Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really only useful if you are a parent with small children. It should be marketed as a memoir on motherhood, not a book about simplifying for the holidays. If you are older with grown children or if you are childfree, there’s very few tips that make this useful. If you are childfree not by choice, this book is just a painful reminder that our society doesn’t value your contributions. I wish the cover and blurb had given more of a synopsis that made it clear 90% of the book is about what to do with kids. I also feel like the target audience is extroverts. If you’re introverted, like me, the pared down and simplified Christmas may still feel overwhelming and way too stressful.

[Lauren Foushee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! This was a quick listen on audiobook and a good way to get focused on Christmas and how our family wants to approach gifts, decor, clutter, etc. Good tips and takeaways but also nothing overwhelming “wow”. She did have some good decluttering tips. And I enjoyed the chapters on the history of Christmas and Santa.
Takeaways: 4 gift rule and how to approach it with your children. Decluttering certain things before Christmas (clothes, kid’s toys/rooms, donating Christmas decor you don’t need/use before decorating). Using nature and simple things to decorate (dried orange garland for example). Find the things that cause stress during the holidays and reevaluate those things.

[Betty Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed listening to the free audiobook( one less thing to buy or have in my home) . Very practical reminders plus ideas on having those hard to have conversations with friends and family to encourage them to miminalize with you . Not an overnight project but a process to introduce into your life to destress. Not just for parents of children in the home,As I get older,I also know ,getting rid of a lot of things that aren't as important is actually a gift to my children who may have to clean up after me when I'm gone or not able to. It's about cleaning out your life and finding what is important,especially around the holidays.

[Autumn Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book a few months before the holidays so I can plan ahead and not be so stressed out this year. Even though it’s about the Christmas time of year (not religious), the principals, advice, and suggestions can be used for any holiday or religion. I loved the traditions and simple decorating ideas and can’t wait to make mulled wine and orange garlands this year! Will be sending this book to my family members so we can all just enjoy the holiday seasons together.

I received an ARC for an objective review

[Julina Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It's easy to read, it's very accessible, and it makes me want to implement the strategies suggested. It's an excellent intro to the huge undertaking that is minimalism, tackled during the busiest time of the year. The holidays are a great time to start on a small scale, and this book offers excellent, practical tips, without being judgy or coming across as pretentious. Highly recommend!

[Camden Morgante · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slim and easy read. Saw an excerpt of the book in Real Simple magazine and loved her message of mindfulness and simplicity around the holidays. The book has some common sense advice, or maybe it’s because I am already a fairly organized person and intentional about saying no to too many plans. She has some practical suggestions or ideas and the bonus chapter (available if you sign up for her mailing list) also has more recipes, photos, and ideas.

[Brooks Lemmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a good book. The author gives a quick history of the Santa/gift giving portion of the Christmas holiday and explains more about the rise of materialism during the holiday season. She then talks about various ways to escape the materialistic tendecies of our culture around this time of year. She gives ideas for new ways to do gift giving as well as reprioritizing the way your family personally celebrates Christmas instead of just keeping up with the Joneses way of celebrating.

[Shelby Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Copied from another reviewer because it’s a perfect summary for me to remember)

my takeaways:
- Use the Four Gift Rule (want, need, wear, read)
- Focus on meaningful traditions (quality time, personal decorations, games)
- Minimize decorations and/or use DIY nature decorations that can be composted
- Alternative Christmas parties; a cookie swap, black tie, Secret Santa gift exchange, potluck, New Years vision board planning, christmas ornament craft day

[Elyse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short little book was a lovely reminder as I head into the holiday season. In the last few years I’ve really tried shifting to experiential gifts and living a more minimalist lifestyle. I also love the four gift rhyme!
I didn’t learn anything new in this one but, again, it was good inspiration.