01/12/2025
December isn't easy for everyone
Every year around this time, I watch the collective energy shift. December is marketed as magic. Family, connection, celebration, joy. For a lot of people, it feels very different.
- The emotional labour of trying to make everyone feel happy and included.
- The mental load of planning, buying, organising, remembering every detail no one else notices.
- The financial pressure of gifts, food, holidays and “making it magical” (even when money is tight.)
- The expectation to tolerate boundary-crossing because “it’s family.”
- The exhaustion of doing it all with a smile so no one else is uncomfortable.
And then there are the people who don’t have the picture-perfect December the world advertises:
- The ones who don’t have family to go home to.
- The ones who feel more alone in December than any month of the year.
- The ones who can’t afford what social media says Christmas should look like.
- The ones who dread being asked, “What are you doing for the holidays?”
December isn’t automatically “the most wonderful time of the year.” And nothing is wrong with you if this month feels heavy instead of magical. You’re human, carrying more than anyone realises.
And from one woman who’s building something to another - if you’re growing a community, a business, a vision, or a new life in 2026:
- You don’t have to sprint to the finish line of 2025.
- You don’t have to pour from an empty cup.
- You don’t have to be “on” for everyone in your life.
- You don’t have to "perform" or force joy to keep the peace.
- You don’t have to earn the right to rest.
- You don’t have to tolerate disrespect or burn yourself out to prove you.
- You don’t have to bankrupt yourself to be a good parent, partner or friend.
- You are allowed to protect your peace and you are allowed to say no. You are allowed to do and to take care of yourself too.
Burnout doesn’t happen from doing too much. It happens from holding too much with nowhere to put it down.
So if you need the reminder: You are allowed to close out this year gently. Not perfectly. Not impressively. Gently.
👉 If you feel comfortable, finish this sentence in the comments:
“What I secretly wish December looked like for me is…”