Celebration & Restoration

December: Remember to Rest

December has a very particular energy. On paper, it’s all celebration — long evenings, catch-ups, school concerts, work functions, beach days, family traditions. Under the fairy lights and full calendars, though, there’s often something else quietly humming away: deadlines, family dynamics, financial pressure, and that little voice that whispers, “I should be doing more.”

This is how a month that’s meant to feel joyful can end up feeling like a marathon. At groundd, the December theme is “Celebration & Restoration” — not sprint & collapse. This is your gentle reminder that taking time out is not laziness; it’s maintenance for your nervous system, your relationships, your sleep, and your mood.

Think of this as your “12 Days of Christmas (Rest Edition)” — small daily shifts that add up to a calmer season.

TL:DR...

If I rest regularly, I’ll show up better for everything that matters.
Notice your nervous system
Start 10 minutes slower in the morning
Screen free meal
Afternoon 15 minute reset
Protect a calm day
A weekly slow night
A 'no plans' day
Gratitude, over performance
Write down 3 things you're proud of this year
Note three moments of genuine restoration you remember (a nap, a weekend away, one quiet morning in bed)
Choose three ways you want to feel next year — not goals, but feelings like steady, spacious, curious, connected.

....but read on below for all the details.

Rest is Not a Reward, it is a Requirement

Many of us grew up believing rest is something you earn:

“I’ll relax once I’ve finished everything.”
“I don’t deserve a break if my list isn’t done.”

In December, the list never really finishes. There’s always one more present, one more email, one more event. Instead of waiting for a mythical “done” list, try a new script:

Old: “Once I finish everything, then I’ll rest.”
New (Day 1 of Rest): “If I rest regularly, I’ll show up better for everything that matters.”

When you see rest as fuel, not a reward, it becomes easier to:

Take a 20-minute lie-down without apologising.
Say no to an event so you can be better company later.
Swap one more errand for one quiet moment on the couch under your blanket.

Let Day 1 of your 12 Days of Christmas (Rest Edition) simply be this: give yourself permission to rest before everything is ticked off.

Notice Your Nervous System

Even if you love this time of year, December is a lot for your nervous system:

Extra noise (music, crowds, travel, kids home more)
Extra decisions (gifts, menus, logistics)
Extra emotions (nostalgia, grief, pressure, expectation)

Instead of pushing through on autopilot, pause and ask:

How does my body feel, out of 10?

0–3: Tired, maybe, but okay.
4–7: Wired but coping. Small rests make a big difference.
8–10: Edging into overload. You might feel snappy, foggy, or teary for no clear reason.

When that number starts climbing, it’s not a sign to try harder. It’s a sign to go softer.

Day 2 of Rest: Choose one moment today to downshift your nervous system:

Press your feet into the floor and take 5 slow breaths.
Or sit under a tree or by a window for 10 minutes with your phone in another room.
Or put a weighted blanket across your legs while you answer emails or watch a Christmas movie.

Your nervous system isn’t being “dramatic”. It’s asking for less input and more exhale.

Build Pockets of Pause Into Busy Days

You don’t always need a full day off to feel human again (though, if you can, please do). You can sprinkle rest into the day you already have — think of them as pockets of pause. Over the 12 Days of Christmas, these can become tiny daily rituals.

Morning: Start 10 Minutes Slower (Day 3)

Instead of immediately scrolling or checking emails:

Make a warm drink and sit somewhere deliberately comfortable.
Wrap yourself in a blanket and actually taste your coffee or tea.
Take three conscious breaths before you pick up your phone.

Even 10 minutes can set a calmer tone for the whole day.

Midday: One Screen-Free Meal (Day 4)

Choose one meal each day that is screen-free. Just you, your food, maybe someone you love.

No scrolling.
No emails.
Just chewing slowly, breathing, and letting your system drop a notch.

You’ll digest better, switch gears, and probably enjoy your food more.

Afternoon: A 15-Minute Reset (Day 5)

Before the second half of your day begins, pause:

Lie down on the bed or couch with a weighted blanket across you.
Set a timer for 10–15 minutes.
Close your eyes. No expectations; just down-gearing.

You might drift, you might not. Either way, your body gets the message: it’s okay to soften.

Permission to Say “No, Thank You”

One of the fastest ways to reclaim December rest? Fewer automatic yeses.

You don’t have to attend every end-of-year drink, every BBQ, every “quick catch-up before Christmas”. If you need language that feels kind but firm, try:

“Thank you so much for the invite. We’re keeping December really gentle this year, so I’ll need to pass.”
“That sounds lovely, but we’re already at capacity that week. Maybe in the new year?”
“I’d love to see you — could we do a quiet coffee in January instead of squeezing something in now?”

Day 6 of Rest: Protect one thing:

One fully free weekend, or
One early night, or
One day with no back-to-back visits.

Every “no” creates space for a deeper, more present “yes” somewhere else.

Turn Rest Into a Family Tradition

Rest doesn’t have to be a solo project; it can be part of your family culture. Your 12 Days of Christmas (Rest Edition) can also become a shared tradition.

A Weekly Slow Night (Day 7)

Pick one night each week where:

Dinner is easy (toasties, leftovers, takeaway).
Everyone changes into something soft early.
Phones go away. TV is optional, but calm.
You pile onto the couch or bed with blankets and do something low-key.

It doesn’t have to be Pinterest-perfect. It just has to be repeatable.

A No Plans Day (Day 8)

Mark one day on the calendar as: Home Day – No Plans, No Guilt.

On this day:

You don’t host.
You don’t drive all over town.
You let people know you’re offline and unavailable.

You can still potter, cook, read, nap, tidy, or watch movies — the key is that nothing is demanded of you.

Gratitude, Not Performance (Day 9)

In the swirl of December, it’s easy to start performing: being “fine”, being festive, being picture-perfect. Instead, try a tiny nightly reflection:

“What was one small thing I appreciated today?”
“Where did I feel most calm?”

Write it down, or share it at the table. No pressure for big revelations; just micro-moments of realness.

A Different Way to “Finish” the Year

Instead of treating December like a finish line where you arrive exhausted and crispy, you could think of it as a gentle handover:

From one year to the next
From doing to being
From obligation to intention

A simple reflection practice for the last few of your 12 Days of Christmas (Rest Edition):

Day 10: Write down three things you’re proud of from this year.
Day 11: Note three moments of genuine restoration you remember (a nap, a weekend away, one quiet morning in bed).
Day 12: Choose three ways you want to feel next year — not goals, but feelings like steady, spacious, curious, connected.

Then ask: “What needs to change in how I rest for those feelings to have a chance?”
Maybe it’s one earlier night a week. Guarding one weekend a month. Finally buying the things that help your body calm — better sheets, a weighted blanket, softer light in your bedroom.

Rest is how your system restores itself so you can keep showing up to the life you’re building.

Your Permission Slip from groundd

You are not lazy for needing rest. You are not failing at December if you feel tired. You are not behind if you choose quiet over constant activity.

Rest is not the opposite of a good life. Rest is what lets you actually feel it.

So as you move through December, let your own 12 Days of Christmas be less about doing more, and more about restoring deeply.

Take the nap. Skip the extra event. Sit in the sun. Lie under the weight of your favourite blanket and let your shoulders drop an inch.

The parties will carry on. The world will keep spinning.

You, however, only get one nervous system.

Treat it kindly this December.