The New Holiday Traditions People Are Creating (and Why They’re Sticking)
If you’ve noticed your group chats quietly skipping the usual What is everyone gifting this year? panic, you’re not imagining it. Holiday traditions are shifting—rapidly, intentionally, and in a way that feels like a collective exhale. The pressure-heavy, over-scheduled, over-consumption version of the holidays? People are slowly stepping away from it in favor of something that feels calmer, more grounded, and actually enjoyable.
We’re seeing an entire cultural moment around redefining how we celebrate: fewer rigid expectations, more meaning. Less performance, more presence. And while some might call it breaking tradition, it actually feels like we’re finally remembering the point of the holidays in the first place.
Below is an in-depth look at what people are doing differently, why it matters, and the new rituals that are shaping a more thoughtful season.
Why People Are Breaking With Tradition
1. Collective burnout finally caught up with the holidays
For decades, the holiday season was positioned as a high-performance sport: perfectly decorated homes, elaborate menus, a color-coded wrapping station, matching pajamas. But as more people acknowledge burnout—not just work-related, but emotional exhaustion from constant “doing”—the holidays became the latest place we’re choosing to opt out.
Instead of trying to recreate Pinterest perfection, people are craving simple moments that feel like actual rest. The shift is away from hustle and toward healing.
2. The rising cost of everything
This may be the first era where groceries for a multi-course holiday meal cost as much as a weekend getaway. With inflation touching everything from flights to stuffing mix, many families are rethinking tradition out of necessity—and discovering they actually enjoy the simpler version more.
Smaller gatherings, low-key meals, and pared-down gifting aren’t just budget-friendly; they’re sanity-saving.
3. Cultural permission to do things differently
A decade ago, announcing “We’re skipping gifts this year” felt like social rebellion. Now it feels normal, even self-respecting. Social media has played a surprising role here—people see others simplifying their holiday season, and suddenly it feels possible to do it themselves. There’s been a shift from performing the holiday to personalizing it.
Rather than following scripted traditions, people are asking: Does this add joy? Or is this something we’ve always done because we’ve always done it?
And when the answer is the latter… it’s getting cut.
4. A desire for connection, not choreography
So many traditional holiday rituals required planning, prep, hosting, managing, and smoothing-out—it was connection, but with stage directions.
New traditions are about removing the choreography so connection can happen naturally. Think: board games instead of formal dinners. Cookie baking instead of a full dessert table. A shared walk at sunset instead of a schedule packed to the edges.
We’re remembering that memories happen in the in-between moments, not the perfectly orchestrated ones.
What People Are Doing Differently This Year
1. Slow, simplified gifting
The once-long list of obligatory gifts is shrinking. Instead, people are choosing:
One meaningful gift per person
Experience gifts rather than things
Handwritten letters or family letters recapping the year
Donation-based gifting (adopt-a-family, local shelters, toy drives)
Swapping physical gifts for shared activities
A big trend we’re loving: The “One + Done” rule.
Each person gets one thoughtful gift—something they’ll actually use or treasure—and the holiday becomes instantly lighter.
(And for the record, yes, people are absolutely wrapping up “things we genuinely need anyway” this year: a new robe, a really good candle, or that cast-iron pan you’ve been threatening to replace since May.)
2. Hosting that’s intentionally low-effort
The new style of holiday hosting is unapologetically simple. Think:
Soup night instead of a full dinner
Potlucks with an agreed-upon theme
“Come as you are” gatherings
Dessert-only hosting
Everyone brings their own drink or mug—yes, even the tea drinkers
People are realizing that no one actually needs twelve side dishes to feel festive.
3. Choosing rest over travel
More families are skipping holiday flights altogether. Not because they don’t love their people, but because holiday travel has become its own anxiety-inducing production—crowded airports, expensive tickets, weather risk, delays. A growing number of people now opt to stay home and schedule visits for off-season months when travel is easier, cheaper, and less emotionally volatile.
The new tradition: celebrate together, but not necessarily in December.
4. Declaring “no-gift” friendships
This is becoming surprisingly common among adults: friend groups mutually agreeing that gifting is off the table. Instead, they meet for a holiday walk, cook dinner together, attend a market, or do something small and meaningful.
It removes stress, reduces spending, and preserves the friendship’s actual purpose.
5. Experience-first holiday celebrations
Families are intentionally creating new rituals that feel meaningful. Some favorites we’re seeing everywhere:
Backyard fire pit nights with blankets
Movie marathons with homemade snacks
Local hikes on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day
Puzzle nights
Recipe-sharing parties
Story-sharing: everyone tells one meaningful memory from the year
There’s a collective move toward being together, not just being festive.
6. Sustainability-driven shifts
People are rethinking the waste-heavy aspects of the season:
Reusable fabric gift wraps
Fewer single-use decorations
Minimalist trees
Borrowed or passed-down décor
Gifts that have actual longevity (and not in the junk-drawer way)
There’s a growing desire to make the holidays beautiful without leaving a giant trail of plastic behind.
7. Buying from smaller brands
There’s also a noticeable movement away from mass-produced holiday overload. People are finding joy in supporting:
Small local makers
Artisans on Etsy
Sustainable brands
Food and pantry gifts from indie shops
Experiences from local businesses
It’s intentional, thoughtful, and aligns with the mindset of gifting things with meaning.
A Personal Note: The Traditions We’re Creating This Year
One of my favorite parts of this whole shift toward new traditions is seeing how it unfolds in real life — both in my own circles and in yours. This year, my girlfriends and I decided to skip the usual holiday dinner reservations and instead host a pajama-party potluck night. Think: everyone showing up in fleece or flannel, bringing something warm and nostalgic, and playing games that inevitably leave us laughing for hours.
We’re also doing a “favorite things” party, but with our own twist — a white-elephant-style swap, except with a thoughtful budget and a guarantee that everyone goes home with something they’ll actually love. Nothing extravagant, nothing performative. Just a small, joyful trade of the little items making our lives easier or better right now.
And for the kids’ gifts this year, I’m keeping it experience-based. Instead of toys or more things to unwrap, I’m taking my son’s friends out for an afternoon at the arcade — the kind of simple, memory-making fun that feels like the entire point of the season. No stress, no wrapping paper, just a few hours where they get to be fully in the moment.
These are the traditions I know we’ll look back on with warmth — not because they were elaborate, but because they were easy, genuine, and full of connection.
What This Shift Really Means
When we zoom out, these new traditions aren’t about rejecting the holidays. They’re about rejecting pressure, performance, and outdated expectations. People want:
holidays that feel like them
traditions that match their values
celebrations that reflect the actual season they’re in
rituals that restore instead of drain
connection without the overwhelm
The holidays are becoming less about obligation and more about feeling good—emotionally, financially, environmentally, and energetically.
This is why these new traditions are sticking. They’re easier. They’re kinder. They’re sustainable—not just for the planet, but for people.
What We’re Loving Right Now
A few of the new holiday traditions we’ve personally been embracing:
Experience gifting—from weekend getaways to pottery classes to cozy teas and wine alternatives that feel celebratory without the hangover.
Low-key hosting menus—a big pot of chili, a breadboard, a simple salad, and a warm, calm house.
A “something we already needed” gift swap—it’s surprisingly joyful.
Nature-based rituals like sunrise walks or lighting candles at dusk.
No-gift friendships that feel spacious and grounded.
These small shifts create an entirely new texture to the season—one that feels aligned with how many of us want to live all year long.
An Invitation
If you’ve been wanting to shift your holiday season into something lighter, calmer, and more meaningful, let this be permission. You’re allowed to change the script. You’re allowed to do things differently. And you’re allowed to create traditions that actually feel like you.
The best part? You’re not doing it alone. This is the direction so many people are already heading—and the new traditions emerging from it are beautiful.
FAQs
Is it okay to stop doing a tradition my family expects?
Yes. Traditions aren’t contracts—they’re practices meant to bring joy. If a ritual no longer supports you, you’re allowed to gracefully shift or let it go. Many people are transitioning by offering alternatives or creating new shared rituals that feel good for everyone.
How do we start new traditions without hurting feelings?
Start with communication, warmth, and clarity. Explain what’s been feeling heavy and offer a new idea. Most families are more flexible than we fear—and many are relieved when someone else names the pressure.
What if my family wants a “big holiday,” but I want something simple?
Try a blended approach: attend the major gathering, but keep your home rituals small and restorative. Alternatively, choose one year big, one year simple. There’s no rule saying it has to be the same every time.
What are the easiest new traditions to start this year?
A cozy movie night, a nature walk, a simplified meal, a no-gift agreement, experience gifting, or a gratitude letter exchange. Pick one and keep it easy.
Affiliate Disclaimer:
As always, What We’re Loving Right Now only recommends products we genuinely use, adore, and would gift to our own best friends. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission — the kind that helps us keep sharing the things we truly love (and never the ones we don’t).