Your “Good Enough” Holiday Plan: Letting Go of the Extra Stuff This Season

christmas louisiana life Dec 16, 2025

Here’s a truth I think every Louisiana mom, dad, or busy person needs to hear this December: you don’t have to do everything to have a good holiday.

Yes, I said it. You don’t have to bake 12 kinds of cookies, host every gathering, or make your home look like a Pinterest board. In fact, trying to do it all is usually what makes December feel like a total mess.

Instead, let’s talk about creating a “good enough” holiday plan—the one that actually keeps your stress down and your enjoyment up.

1. Decide What You’re Not Doing This Year

Sometimes the best gift you can give yourself is permission to skip stuff.

Maybe you’re saying no to:

The fifth Christmas party in one weekend
Over-the-top gifts for everyone
Baking every single dessert from scratch
Hosting when it’s going to stress you out

2. Simplify Meals

December is not the month to pretend you’re a top chef. Keep it simple, especially on busy weeknights.

Louisiana staples that save the day:

Rice + sausage
Gumbo or jambalaya mixes
Rotisserie chicken
Crockpot meals
Sheet pan dinners
Leftovers from the weekend

Quick, comforting, and real. You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

3. Cut Back on Events

Do you really need to go to every parade, party, or gathering? Nope.

Pick the ones that actually matter to you, and skip the rest without guilt. Your sanity matters, too.

4. Choose Convenience When You Can

This isn’t “cheating”, it’s smart.

Grocery pickup instead of shopping in chaos
Gift bags instead of wrapping 100 presents
Buying premade desserts or sides
Ordering ingredients instead of chopping everything yourself

5. Give Yourself Grace

Some days are going to be messy, full, or exhausting. That’s fine. That’s normal. That’s December.

Your “good enough” plan allows you to:

Rest
Let routines be imperfect
Handle last-minute plans
Keep the holidays fun instead of stressful

Because the holidays shouldn’t feel like a performance. They should feel like… life. Enjoyable, messy, and manageable.