Knitted Christmas: Easy Makes to Unwind Before Christmas

Knitting tree ornaments was my ‘unwind’ before Christmas. I was reading The Knitter magazine on a train homewards after three days away for work. There were only a few days left to go before the maelstrom of Christmas Day and the ‘To Do’ list was rattling around my head.

I knew the remedy should be to get on with the said to-do list. That I should knock the items off the list one by one. Somehow, though, the lure of something pretty and quick to knit in the magazine kept catching my eye. I flicked through the pages, and settled on a pattern for knitted tree decorations by Tóra Joenson.

I had already decorated the tree. So, I had no need of more tree decorations, but that wasn’t the point. I needed something to focus on, to unwind a little (in between getting on with everything else). This definitely hit the spot. Focussing on three stitches of red, one of white, five of red, one of white etc etc helped to steady the chattering of the mind. Even better, was the finishing of one item in a short space of time before switching the brain on to the ‘onwards-and-upwards-no-slacking ‘ frame of mind.

Knitting with a small ball of plain white handspun yarn, that had not yet found a project, was also satisfying. So, how to remain serene in the face of the gathering speed of Christmas preparations (because one is never prepared despite the fact that Christmas happens at the same time every year): take up the knitting needles! Or, take up something that focuses the mind, but not too hard.

Easy pre-Christmas unwinds

If knitting isn’t your thing, how about colouring in a mindfulness colouring book (you can buy Christmas themed books), and adding the design to a card. Simple. Make a greetings card from repurposed materials, like a colouring book.

Cut up old Christmas cards to make gift tags (recycle your greetings cards into next year’s cards and gift tags).

Anything you can do without taking up too much head-space, in short snatches of time, will work. Especially if your ‘doing’ results in something giftable, or a decoration. Small effort: happy recipients, or happy audience.