A more intentional Christmas
This time of year always seems to get a little louder - more buying, more rushing, more expectations. The last few Christmas’s I’ve been craving something softer. Something slower. Something that feels like it’s rooted in meaning rather than obligation.
Last year, my family and I created our own little ritual: crafting Christmas decorations with materials foraged from nature. We used a wooden base and pole my mum found in an op shop (you could easily use an old hat stand or any sturdy frame). We attached foraged sticks as “branches,” hung shells, gum leaves, seed pods and little treasures we found on our walk… and it became our favourite, most heartfelt Christmas tree yet.
A beautiful ritual to connect and be present with each other while creating something we all contributed to.
Why Nature Makes Everything More Meaningful
There is something beautiful about bringing nature into our celebrations. It reminds us:
To slow down
To notice
To create rather than consume
And to give back when we’re done
You could even write little notes on the leaves (intentions for the year ahead, wishes for each other, tiny prayers of gratitude) and hang them on the branches. And the best part? Everything can be returned to the earth afterwards.
Other Ways to Bring Intention Into Your Christmas Season
If you’re craving a simpler, more connected Christmas, here are some ideas to weave into your rituals:
✨ 1. Create a “Gratitude Garland”
Use twine or natural cord and peg on handwritten notes of gratitude from everyone in your family. Add leaves, flowers, feathers or anything meaningful you find on a walk. Hang it in your home for the season.
✨ 2. Make a Family Intention Ritual
Before opening presents, sit together and share one intention for the year ahead. You can write them on leaves, stones or pieces of wood. Store them in a jar to revisit next Christmas.
✨ 3. Foraged Gift Wrapping
Use recycled paper, old book pages, or fabric wraps. Decorate with eucalyptus leaves, twigs, flowers or herbs tied with natural string.
✨ 4. Presence Over Presents Morning
Dedicate Christmas morning to slow rituals:
Making tea or cacao together
Taking a nature walk before gifts
Reading cards or love notes first
Playing music instead of having the TV on
Let the day begin with connection instead of chaos.
✨ 5. A “Give Back to the Earth” Basket
Have a special basket where you place natural decorations, foraged items, and handwritten notes after Christmas. On a chosen day, return everything back to the earth with a simple ceremony or nature walk.
✨ 6. DIY Natural Ornaments
Some simple ideas:
Dry orange slices and hang them with twine
Decorate pinecones with cinnamon or dried flowers
Make salt-dough ornaments with pressed leaves or flowers
Create little bundles of herbs for blessings and protection
✨ 7. Foraged Advent Ritual
Instead of chocolate, create a 12-day (or 24-day) advent ritual where each day you:
Take a short mindful walk
Collect one thing from nature
Write one reflection, gratitude, or intention
Place it on your “intention tree”
By the end of the season, it becomes a living journal of your month.
The Heart of It All
An intentional Christmas isn’t about doing more - it’s about choosing meaning over mindless tradition. It’s about the rituals that bring you back to yourself, to each other, and to the earth.
Creating a tree out of foraged materials reminded me that the most potent magic isn’t bought… it’s made. With our hands. With our presence. With our love.
And maybe that’s exactly the kind of Christmas we’re all craving.
If this slower, more intentional way of creating speaks to you, you’ll love my online course The Art of Earth Altars. It’s a nourishing journey into creativity, ritual and connecting with the natural world.