Meaningful holiday
minimalism.com
“Structure isn’t a rule—it’s a rhythm.” – The Minimalists
Meaningful holiday by Ryan Nicodemus
Five steps toward a more meaningful Christmas together
Step one. Avoid holiday doorbuster sales. Instead of falling for these sales designed to exploit our desire to consume, support your local businesses and the difference-makers in your community.
Step two. Gift your time. Material items can't replace the time spent with loved ones. When asked what you want for Christmas, consider saying, 'Your presence is the best present.'
Step three. Gift experiences, not stuff. Experiences, like concert tickets, home-cooked meals, or shared vacations, build stronger bonds and are more valuable than material gifts.
Step four. Ask for charitable gifts. This Christmas, encourage donations to your favorite charity instead of receiving traditional gifts. This can be more fulfilling than receiving material items.
Step five. Participate in 'Soup-Kitchen Christmas.' Dedicate time to local charities or volunteer organizations. This year, my colleague and I, along with our readers, will be helping at a soup kitchen on Christmas Day. Volunteering offers personal growth and new perspectives to be thankful for.
If this all sounds a little preachy, I’m sorry; I’m not here to preach to you. I’m not saying you must do—or that you should do—anything. I know many of you are just like me: you’re unhappy with the status quo, unhappy with what you’re supposed to do with your life—just unhappy with the way things are. And so was I. But then I chose to circumvent the status quo. And so can you.
You can read the full essay on theminimalists.com
01 – Project update
We’re now deep into the development of our website redesign. As we’ve mentioned before, it’s a complete overhaul of minimalism.com. Not only aesthetically and structurally, but we’re redefining the purpose of Minimalism Life® as a company. In short, we’re building the ultimate resource hub for minimalism and simplicity spanning a wide range of topics and disciplines. The project will launch in January in beta form and we’ll be cycling through an iterative process over the course of the year to develop it further.
We’re also looking for contributors to help maintain our design and lifestyle resources. So if you’re interested in joining the ML® team, get in touch.
02 – Simplify everything
Declutter everything in your life. Physical clutter, digital clutter, calendar clutter, financial clutter, relationship clutter. SIMPLIFY EVERYTHING, the new course from The Minimalists, opens January 1, 2024 (72 hours only), and you can pre-enroll, or gift the course to a friend:
03 – Community experiences
Read entries from the archive of the Minimalism Life journal:
04 – Share your experiences
Do you have an interesting story you would like to share on minimalism.com? We want to read about it. Here, you have the opportunity to get involved and contribute to our journal.
05 – Found on the web
Other things on the web you might be interested in reading:
06 – Brands anchored by simplicity and sustainability
Minimalism can be about frugality and owning less, but it can also be about supporting ethical brands with sustainability at their core (less but better). Here’s several that you might be interested learning more about.
Wahts: Minimalist, monochromatic men’s fashion
ASKET: Ending fast fashion by making covetable everyday essentials
Cuff Copenhagen: Unisex jewelry brand from Denmark
Boldr: Minimalist home heating solutions
ODA: The modular everyday bag and essentials
Pedestal: Minimal stands for your screens
The Resort Co: Eco-conscious and artisan vacation wear
OMNES: Sustainable and affordable fashion
Gant Lights: Furniture with an architectural influence
Form & Thread: Mindfully sourced garments
Dalgado: Timeless accessories made to last
Oliver Cabell: Minimalist Italian footwear and accessories
Nordic Knots: Rugs inspired by the beauty of the Nordic light
Rent the Runway: Rent designer clothing
Selfmade: Handmade designer eyewear
North-89: Shoemakers designing for Scandinavian weather conditions
Discover more minimal brands on minimalism.com