How to Get Into the Christmas Spirit: Fun and Festive Things to Try

Why Christmas is the perfect time to try something new

The run-up to Christmas can be exhausting. The last few months of the year bring work deadlines, an ever-expanding family social calendar, plans for the big day, and then there’s all the usual jobs like food shopping, cleaning and cooking, which don’t stop just because it’s the festive season.

So finding time to try something new might feel like an indulgent, frivolous extravagance.

But hear me out. I think that’s exactly why we should have a go at something we’ve never tried before.

Permission to be a beginner

Christmas is often a time of year when we put pressure on ourselves for perfection. The perfect meal. The perfect decorations. The perfect outfits. It can be incredibly draining both mentally and physically when our expectations are so high.

But if we do something we’ve never done before, if we’re curious to give it a go and see how it turns out, then we’re gifting ourselves space to be imperfect.

Doing something for the first time gives us the opportunity to lower our expectations of ourselves. We anticipate that it might not work out as we hope, that it might go a bit wonky, that it won’t look like the one the expert made. And sometimes, the end result can surprise us as we discover skills we may have been hiding.

When I was little, it always felt like the grown-ups had life sorted out and never made mistakes. But I’ve realised how ridiculous and unattainable that is, even though we may not like to admit it. It’s good to make mistakes, it’s good to get things wrong, it’s good to allow ourselves to be beginners again.

And at a time of year when there’s so much emphasis on things being ‘just right,’ it can bring a lot of light relief when things are ‘just wrong’.

Paying attention

The festive season can be mentally overloading, with to-do lists running through our heads and plans being made, changed, cancelled and rearranged faster than Father Christmas can deliver his presents.

It’s easy to end up with three tubs of Glacé cherries because you’d forgotten there was already a tub in the cupboard, when you double book parties because the one you made a mental note of to add to the calendar never made the transition, and when you realise the outfit you’d planned to wear hasn’t made it out of the washing machine in time for you to get ready.

Our minds can be stuffed fuller than a Christmas turkey with the influx of things we need to do, and trying to learn something new at such a busy time of year can feel counterintuitive.

But that’s perhaps why doing something new can have such positive effects.

Trying something we’ve never done before usually means we need to pay attention. We need to focus; on the instructions, on the tutor, on the steps.

The to-do lists and busyness take a back seat whilst we immerse ourselves in the present and absorb the moment.

It can give the thinking mind a break, and it can be an opportunity for it to reset, recalibrate and recharge. When it’s time to return to the planning and preparations, we might feel a new sense of perspective and a shift in energy as we face them, or we’ll feel happy that we’ve enjoyed doing something different.

Either way, finding opportunities to shift attention from the busyness to something completely different is well worth finding the time for.

How baking can help you get into the Christmas spirit

Trying 52 new things a year has helped me to make a whole array of festive delights (something the Other Half is strangely always encouraging of!).

There are some things which only ever get eaten at Christmas, (at least in our house) so it’s a rich opportunity to try making something festive from scratch.

There’s the ridiculously sweet and gooey Florentines that I made for the first time. The first time I took over making the family Christmas cake. The antipasto Christmas tree that I attempted which sounded like it was going to be an incredible snacking showstopper of a centrepiece, but actually looked more like a sapling that had lost its leaves in a storm.

I love baking new things on a winter’s afternoon in the festive season. Many festive recipes require some delicious ingredients and spices, so whilst the weather outside really can be frightful, the kitchen is warming and smells delightful.

I love putting the radio on, and whilst I’m not giving it my full attention, the presenter plays old favourites and new seasonal songs that feel like a familiar embrace for my ears.

As the festive treats bask in the warm glow of the oven light, wafts of delicious aromas fill the kitchen and steam up the windows. It’s a gloriously cosy feeling. And once they’re done, the Other Half and I always do a taste test, purely for quality control purposes – honest!

Trying new crafts at Christmas

I’ve tried new crafts at Christmas both at home, and in a class setting, and they both help me to get into the festive spirit.

At home, I’ve tried kits to make new decorations. To begin with I have to pay attention as I try to interpret the written instructions, (often seeking some extra guidance online). Once I’ve got into a rhythm, I can settle into the craft, cosying up on the sofa as the light fades outside, the Christmas tree lights twinkle, and a festive film plays on the television.

It reminds me of being at school when we’d often make decorations in class as we tried to contain our excitement for the big day.

I’ve ended up with some unique and different decorations, and even though some didn’t quite turn out as I’d hoped, they get put out year after year, such as the push-pin sequin decoration which was small and fiddly but looks fantastic. The hand-painted baubles which look as though I made them when I was seven. The linocut Christmas cards gave me an opportunity to work with a traditional printing press, and send some unique cards to friends and family.

Trying new crafts in a class with others can be a wonderful Christmassy occasion. Having a teacher taking you through the steps can help you to make something you might not be able to replicate so easily at home, and working alongside others can inspire creativity and ideas.

I’ve been to a bauble marbling workshop where we all admired each other’s work and encouraged one another. Making a Nordic willow star was a wonderful opportunity to work with a tactile natural material. And creating an origami star garland, accompanied by an abundance of biscuits and cups of tea, made for a particularly cosy afternoon.

Getting outside to get into the Christmas spirit

Have you ever wrapped up a bit too well to brace the cold? When you’ve put on multiple layers only to discover you can barely bend your elbows due to the amount of clothing you’re wearing? No? Is that just me?!

However you decide to dress, getting outside in the run-up to Christmas can deliver a very festive feeling, and it doesn’t need to involve snow.

In the UK, the days are much shorter in the Christmas season, the window of opportunity to get outside can feel much smaller, and the chilly weather can make a trip out of the front door feel a lot less appealing.

When you do return from a trip outside, skin feeling weathered from the colder temperatures and fresh winds, it can feel like your home is giving you a big hug as you close the door behind you and snuggle in.

Aside from the shopping, socialising, and work, there are new things you can try to get you outside.

For example, I went on a Christmas walking tour around York.

I had no idea about some of the Christmas traditions that had taken place in our city, or the significance of York in shaping how people celebrate Christmas today. And discovering that Charles Dickens himself had recited his most famous Christmas story (yes, that one) in the grand Assembly rooms was an amazing surprise.

I challenged myself to a 12 days of Christmas walk, where my mission was to find something relating to each of the 12 days near where I live. There was a lot of creativity involved, as I visited a plumber’s yard for the pipers piping, and who knew there were so many pub names that would help?!

You don’t always need to travel far to try something new, sometimes you just need to explore where you live with a different purpose, such as trying to find all of the lines to a Christmas song.

Volunteering to spread a little Christmas cheer

Christmas is often thought of as a time for giving, but that doesn’t always have to mean buying presents or spending money.

Volunteering can be a way to try something new at Christmas, whilst doing something positive for other people.

There are all sorts of opportunities to get involved, from helping with bucket collections, wrapping presents, joining some carol singers, or volunteering with a charity that provides companionship for people who might otherwise spend the festive season alone.

If you’ve never volunteered before, it could be an opportunity to discover something new about yourself, meet people you might not otherwise have crossed paths with, and feel a little more connected to the place where you live.

It doesn’t have to involve a huge commitment, either. Even giving a few hours of your time can make a difference.

Make new traditions to get into the Christmas spirit

You may have festive traditions that have been handed down through your family, with stories behind them that feel like an emotionally cosy hug.

There’s something reassuring about bringing them out each year. The familiarity and memories connected with traditions is exactly why we repeat them.

Yet trying something new could be an experiment today that becomes next year’s tradition.

Why you should try something new in the festive season

Christmas can come with an awful lot of pressure to get things right. The food, the decorations, the presents, the plans. But some of the loveliest festive memories can come from doing something we’ve never tried before, without knowing whether it’ll work out.

Perhaps the cake will be a triumph. Perhaps the decoration will be wonky. Perhaps you’ll discover a new tradition, or simply have a rather enjoyable afternoon doing something different.

You don’t have to cram your calendar with more activities or turn Christmas into another challenge to complete. Just choose something that appeals to you, give yourself permission to be a beginner, and see what happens.

Because sometimes the best bit isn’t getting it right. It’s giving it a go.

Fancy trying something new this Christmas?

You don’t need to book an expensive experience, travel somewhere new or squeeze another activity into an already packed calendar. There are plenty of ways to try something different, get into the festive spirit and enjoy paying attention to something other than your to-do list.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Make something festive. Try a new Christmas recipe, make your own decorations or have a go at a craft you’ve never attempted before. Bonus points if it turns out wonky enough to become a talking point for years to come.

Get creative with friends. Book a festive craft workshop, make Christmas cards together or spend an afternoon baking. You might discover a new skill, make something lovely or simply enjoy a good natter over a cup of tea.

Explore somewhere familiar with fresh eyes. Join a Christmas walking tour, look for unusual decorations in your neighbourhood or create your own 12 Days of Christmas scavenger hunt.

Start a new tradition. Visit a Christmas market, watch a festive performance or set aside an afternoon for something you can look forward to repeating each year.

Give an everyday activity a festive twist. Put on some Christmas music while you cook, take a different route when you go for a walk and see the different Christmas decorations in your neighbourhood or try making a festive treat you’ve always bought ready-made.

Give a little time. Look for a local charity, community group or Christmas appeal that could use an extra pair of hands. Whether it’s helping at a festive event, supporting a food bank or making someone’s day a little brighter, volunteering can be a lovely way to experience the community spirit of Christmas.

You don’t need to do everything. Just pick something that appeals to you, give it a go and see what happens.

And if your Christmas craft looks like it was made by a seven-year-old, rather than the sophisticated adult you hoped to be? Congratulations! You’ve successfully given yourself permission to be a beginner, and there’s something wonderful about that.

Things I've tried that have helped me get into the Christmas spirit

Festive baking

Making a Yule log from scratch

I thought this turned out pretty well for a first attempt.