Holiday Abundance 2025
It is no secret: I am not a minimalist.
And it is also no secret that the holidays bring out my sense of, shall we say, abundance.
And that is precisely what this issue of The Slow Weekender is about: abundance. I mean holiday abundance in the most nostalgic, sparkly, aromatic, and glorious sense of the word. To be clear, abundance is not about the amount of money spent. It is about the amount of love and thought that goes into the holiday experience.
In our home, we begin celebrating Christmas soon after Thanksgiving, and the nostalgia of my Southern roots takes center stage. Tradition is essential in my life. Beyond the mere pleasure of the familiar, tradition provides a cornerstone for meaning and memory-making and is paramount in connecting us to our heritage and past generations.
At the beginning of this festive season, and in this inaugural post of The Slow Weekender which will be called here forward, The Abundance Issue, I share loads of ideas—some abundant, some slower-paced, all rich and intentional. Take them or leave them, tweak them, or use them as a starting-off point for your own magical and memorable activities, foods, treats, and ways of celebrating.
Hesitant to Host Something Big? Try a Drop-In Holiday Tea Instead
I host an annual cocktail party, but a few years ago, I needed a slower holiday season yet still wanted to gather friends. I opted for a Drop-In Tea. I got out my china (though an assortment of mis-matched mugs works just as well!) and bought all pre-made cookies and treats. I sent out an invitation that read: “Come as you are, between holiday errands, and sip tea and take a breather.” It’s a fun way to gather and is totally low-stress for everyone involved! We got a kick out of drinking from fancy china cups while wearing our "running errands clothes" (Yes, yoga pants were welcome!).
Hosting a Casual Holiday Event Still Feels Overwhelming? If so, make it a smaller gesture: invite just one or two people over for a relaxed tea or casual meal. Gathering in one another's homes is a key element for fostering bonds and connection, particularly during the holiday season. Gathering in homes is something that, heartbreakingly, is fading from modern life. The number of times the average person hosts in their home has dropped significantly since the 1970’s and continues to decline. If entertaining feels daunting here are a few tips to get you over the hump:
Keep it simple
Keep it authentic
Keep it to a size that feels manageable
Cook or prepare something that you know well to reduce stress
Your house only needs a light tidying up—no one really notices if you have done a deep clean. Promise!
Dried Orange Slices—Sustainable and Natural Decor
Decorating with inexpensive, sustainable, and non-plastic items is high on my list during the holidays. Dried orange slices can be added to everything! Use them to zhuzh up a basic grocery store evergreen wreath, incorporate them into gift wrapping, or scatter them as table decorations. They also keep from year-to- year if stored in a dry location.
Batch Make a Meaningful Holiday Gift
There are so many people we want to show our appreciation to during the holidays—but buying small, often inexpensive token gifts can feel impersonal. These are often gifts for teachers, neighbors, and co-workers.
Research tells us that homemade gifts are almost always considered more thoughtful, and that well-wrapped gifts tend to convey more meaning and intentionality to the receiver.
My long-term solution has been to batch-make something at the beginning of each season, usually an item that can be packaged in a mason jar. I then finish it off by wrapping it with ribbon, dried orange slices, and evergreen sprigs from my yard, along with a heartfelt and handwritten note.
Here are a few ideas for batch made gifts:
Spiced Nuts
Essential Oil Bath Salts
Essential Oil Room Spray
Mulling Spices
Mulled Wine Kit (with or without the wine!)
Canned goods like chutneys and jams
Pick a “Slow” Day and put it on the Calendar!
I have been to friends’ houses who make elaborate lists of all the crafting, baking, and experiences they want to have during the holidays. This strikes me as quintessentially American—all the fun things suddenly turned into a goal-oriented to-do list!
I offer something totally counter-culture here: Add a day or half-day with absolutely nothing on your calendar sometime in the month of December. Then, see where the energy of that day takes you. Maybe you want to read a book by the fire, work on a puzzle, or plug the kids into a movie and batch-make something that will fill your heart with joy and your kitchen with delicious smells. Maybe you want a long winter walk, bundled up and dreaming of the cup of coffee and holiday treat you will savor upon your chilly return.
*For pointers on how to handle an “unplanned day” or empty space on the calendar, click here.
Make an Over the Top Holiday Table Decoration
When I came across an updated Colonial Williamsburg Apple Cone being used in a beautiful holiday magazine spread, I wanted to make one. Being from the South, my mother had a Colonial Williamsburg holiday decorations book—and you know I loved it even though the styles were 300 years old!
I ordered a used apple cone from eBay, pursued Pinterest for inspiration, and then spent a glorious, and citrus scented, evening making this over the top and old fashioned centerpiece for my holiday table. It was the talk of the night at my annual cocktail party—well, to be fair, it did have competition from my silver punch bowl, but came in a close second. Last year a girlfriend, so inspired by this stunning decor, invited me to teach her how to make the centerpiece. So we spent a fun afternoon together up to our eyeballs in evergreen sprigs and oranges!
This photo is of the Colonial Williamsburg Apple Cone centerpiece that sparked a new tradition at our house.
(Link to full magazine article & more photos below)
Here is a list of Supplies for a Citrus, Berry, and Evergreen Centerpiece:
Colonial Williamsburg Apple Cone (used on ebay or Etsy)
Many medium size oranges
One medium Pomegranate for top (that’s how I like to crown my centerpiece anyway!)
Ribbon, 3/8 inch in width
Evergreen branches (Trader Joes often has bunches of mixed evergreens)
Dried berries such as Red Pepperberries (order on Etsy)
Dried Orange Slices (purchase at a local shop, on Etsy, or make your own)
Charger or some other sturdy round plate or tray larger than your finished centerpiece.
Click here to read the full magazine article and see the photos that inspired me a few years ago.
Pro-Tip: If you are hosting a holiday event and want your Williamsburg Cone centerpiece to take center stage, make it within a week of your event. Keep it in a cool place, like your garage, when not in use. (If you live where temperatures are below freezing, do not keep it in your garage; instead use the coldest place you can find inside your house!)
From my home to yours, I hope this season is filled with exactly what you need—and maybe just a smidge extra.
Enjoy the slow- Heather