If you think about it, the holiday season is 2 weeks more than a long vacation. There is never enough time to see and do everything that this time of the year has to offer. My younger self tried to live up to my own expectations of what Christmas should be, perfect gifts under the tree. I was absorbed in collecting, spending my time in malls rather than planning fun experiences, which led to terrible holiday FOMO.
This year I’m trying to be wiser. I told my family, “Give me your Wanderlust List. Things you would never buy yourself but would love to have for travel.” Theming the gift giving helped narrow down the length of my shopping, allowing me more time to check off items on my holiday FOMO priority list.
I decided to pick up my daughter in Iowa, loving the drive by myself and the changing colors of cornfields in winter along the way. I absorbed our four hour car ride back home since we rarely get one-on-one time together alone. We saw Wicked in Chicago. A few days later I was back downtown to see Michelle Obama, who is on her book tour, something I didn’t want to miss.
We’ve taken illuminated walks at the Botanic Garden, window shopped downtown, had festive dinners out in restaurants and holiday get-togethers.
My wiser self also needs more downtime, practicing self care repeating the mantra, “Love, gratitude, love, gratitude.” It helps me fall asleep, put the decorations I never use in the Give Away bag and declutter from, “the most wonderful time of the year.”
I have FOMO from embracing the stillness of the season too. Is it possible to wanderlust from your couch listening to Positive Mood Starbucks Cafe on YouTube from your laptop? I like to think so. In the dark of morning or the black night, gazing into the lit up tree I still want Christmas to be perfect, just in a different way.
Next week, I have nothing on my social calendar, leading to quiet nights with my husband sitting next to the fireplace eating cookies from the neighborhood cookie exchange.
“Tomorrow I’m getting on the treadmill,” I’ll tell him. “Because my Wanderlust is starting to catch up on me.”
Holiday FOMO at 60 was last modified: December 11th, 2022 by
