12/23/2025
The Joy of Missing Out (and Not Putting Up a Tree)
It’s December 23rd.
And I haven’t put up a Christmas tree.
I’m not going to.
The joy of Christmas is not in the ornaments,
not in the endless trips from the basement hauling up boxes of decorations,
and definitely not in the box of tangled lights.
For me, it’s in the connection with family and friends —
the people who make the season feel whole.
I’m tired.
Projects are ramping up.
My partner got called in for overtime.
And for the first time in 22 years, I’m not traveling to Arizona for Christmas.
I was there for a week at Thanksgiving, and I’ll be back for my mom’s 82nd birthday in January.
But I’m still a little sad that I won’t be there.
So this season… I’m staying still.
Calm. Reflective. Restoring myself.
And I know — it’s unpopular for a designer to not decorate.
Will I be canceled after this? (Maybe.)
But truth be told — I only feel JOMO.
The Joy. Of. Missing. Out.
JOMO on the pressure.
JOMO on the performative perfection.
JOMO on turning my home into a checklist of “shoulds.”
Instead of presents (we need nothing), we’re donating to charities that feel close to our hearts.
Instead of baking (hello, pre-diabetes), I’m making nourishing dinners with plenty of leftovers.
I’m savoring the short days, the early bedtimes, the deep quiet.
Not hibernating — just reveling in the gratitude that I’ve given myself this permission:
to let go of the trappings and embrace the real spirit.
Because the true sanctuary isn’t something you hang or style —
it’s something you feel.
So, no — there’s no tree this year.
Just presence.
And honestly? That feels like the most luxurious gift I’ve given myself all year.
✨ Wishing you the happiest holidays — sans trees or with.
