7 Ways to Protect Your Energy This December (Slow Mom’s Guide)
I sat in Christmas Mass one year, and the priest told a story I’ll never forget.
The story was about a couple who had only been dating a short time before the holidays. The guy was coming to his girlfriend’s house on Christmas Eve to meet her parents for the first time, so naturally, he wanted to make a good impression. He brought a fruit basket and flowers for her mom.
Right as he walked up to the front door, he slipped on the ice.
The fruit basket exploded across the snowy yard.
And when he stood up… his pants ripped right down the seam.
He ended up borrowing his future father-in-law’s pants for the night.
The priest shared this because it was actually the story of his own parents, and his grandfather retold the story every single Christmas. He told it to remind us of one thing: the holidays can be MESSY.
Even in the most meaningful moments of the season, real life still happens.
And as moms, we often carry the mental load of trying to make the holidays magical while juggling busy schedules, icy roads, gift buying, family events, overstimulation, sick kids, and everything in between.
The more we try to control every detail, the easier it is for things to slip through our fingers. And honestly? Anyone else ever feel hungover after the holidays (and not because of the eggnog?) That’s burnout.
Mom burnout over the holidays is REAL.
We’re constantly trying to check every box, but rarely checking in on ourselves.
But the holidays were never meant to break us.
So here are 7 simple, mom-friendly ways to protect your energy this December (and into the New Year):
#1. Start Every Morning With a Peace Point
This one is simple. Find or do something grounding before the day takes over. For me, that looks like breathing, journaling, spending time in my bible, using red light, or listening to my favorite devotional, The Big Life Devotional Podcast. This helps reduce stress, but especially during the holiday rush.
#2. Eat for Energy, Not Exhaustion
This time of year, we can feel like Joey from Friends with Phoebe’s maternity pants at Thanksgiving.
The holiday season often puts you on a blood sugar rollercoaster that messes with your mood, patience, digestion, hydration, hormones, & sleep. I keep my hormones and gut health (and sanity) regulated with Happy Juice, and it’s a non-negotiable for me especially during the holidays.
While I fully believe in enjoying your favorite foods guilt-free, a few small shifts help you feel human again:
Start your day with protein
Bring balanced snacks in your purse
Hydrate (more than you think)
My go-to snack for busy holiday days:
SEND Bars (Use Code MORGAN5)
They keep my energy stable and save me from hanger in front of my grandma.
BUT, listen.
If Aunt Minnie only makes her famous cookies once a year?
Eat the dang cookie.
Just… maybe not 12. 😉
#3. Protect Your Evenings Like They’re Sacred
Better evenings = better mornings.
Better mornings = better days.
Prioritize sleep and self care when you need it. Wind down early. Dim the lights. Stretch a little bit. Just do what feels good and create a cozy evening routine. My day always ends with Grace | Rae skincare and my skin thanks me for using this spa like skincare that’s non-toxic and actually reasonable. Use code MORGAN15 at checkout!
#4. Lower the Bar. Like… Really Lower It
We put SO much pressure on ourselves to create Pinterest-level holidays.
Social media doesn’t help. It’s a highlight reel of people “doing it all,” and us falling into a comparison trap.
But you don’t know what’s happening behind that screen.
If Elf on the Shelf is going to send you into a spiral (“he didn’t move last night because… uhh… he was tired?”), don’t start the tradition.
Pick ONE meaningful tradition your family can enjoy and skip the rest.
As a newer-ish mom myself, I want my daughter to experience the magic of the season… but I also know Elf on the Shelf would put this mama in some drama.
#5. Simplify Your Mental Load
I love a good brain dump, and this time of year it’s crucial. I take a few minutes in the morning and just write down everything that is taking space in my head and get it on paper. When everything is in your head, it feels 10x heavier. You can grab my Energy Pie freebie here if you need a visual!
#6. Make Space for Reflection & Gratitude
Take quiet moments to pause and reflect on:
where you grew this year
what God carried you through
what you want to leave behind
what you want to bring into the New Year
This anchors you more than any holiday to-do list ever could.
#7. Leave Margin for Magic
Some of my favorite holiday memories growing up were not big, fancy, or expensive. It was reading a book with my great-grandma. It was driving around looking at lights with hot chocolate. It was going to mass at midnight. Just know that magic happens in the margin. Kids don’t need you to be perfect.
At the end of the day, the holidays were never meant to be about perfection. They were never meant to leave us exhausted, overstimulated, or running on fumes while we try to carry everyone else’s magic.
They were meant to remind us of hope.
Of new beginnings.
Of slowing down long enough to notice what truly matters.
So if this December feels heavier than you expected, or if you’ve been trying to hold everything together with a smile while your insides feel like melted holiday candle wax… take a deep breath, mama. You’re allowed to slow down. You’re allowed to choose simple. You’re allowed to protect your peace.
And you’re allowed to build a holiday season that you can actually enjoy, not just survive.
Here’s to a December full of presence, grace, and just enough margin for a little magic to sneak in. 🤍