Holiday Reminders for Small Business Owners

I'll just say what we're all thinking: sometimes the “most wonderful time of the year” feels like the most impossible time of the year.

Between client deadlines, family expectations, and that voice telling you to cherish every moment, December can feel like one giant exercise in disappointing everyone, including yourself.

Here’s what that looked like for me.

I was in the car with my husband, headed to my FAVORITE Christmas tradition of all time in downtown Nashville—the concert that officially kicks off Christmas for me! I was so excited… until my phone started blowing up. I was getting texts from friends we were meeting and messages from my VA, all while the GPS was barking directions on my phone.

And I lost it. Fully. Level 7. 

My first instinct? Blame everyone else. Why can't people figure this out?

But here’s what I had to remind myself: I had put myself at the center of everything.

I hadn’t set expectations. I hadn’t delegated clearly. I had stepped into “I’ll just handle it” mode, and then resented everyone for letting me. 

That’s not empowerment. That’s over-functioning.

So I stopped, and I owned it.

I apologized—to my husband, my friends, and my VA. Not with a vague “sorry about that,” but with clarity:

“I lost my temper because I failed to communicate earlier on what I needed from you. I entered into my superwoman cape moment, thinking I could handle it all. Next time, I’ll voice what I need from you, rather than getting mad and pushing myself to the edge.”

Here’s what I want you to notice: the breakdown wasn’t the moment in the car.
The breakdown happened before—when I ignored the early signs.

I once had a professor describe it like this:
When you are floating down the river, there are signs that there is a waterfall ahead. You can either ignore those signs and stay in the river or exit at a safe and healthy distance.

December always gives us signs.

Mine showed up the day before, when I noticed people becoming overly dependent on me and chose to “just handle it” instead of resetting expectations. That choice cost me my peace.

The Holiday Boundary Blueprint I wish I'd used:

These are the steps I skipped—and won’t skip again:

1. Assess ahead of time to see what is needed from me and what I need from others.
   

2. Remind myself I am NOT responsible for everything or everyone.
   

3. Communicate clearly before resentment has a chance to build.
   

4. Reset my brain when I feel my body tightening or my tone shifting by taking a deep breath.

Let’s get practical about what this looks like. Here’s language you can borrow:

To your team:
“I’m offline December 23–26 for family time. If something urgent comes up, text me. Otherwise, I’ll respond when I’m back.”

To family:
“I’m excited to celebrate with you! I can be fully present from 2–6 PM. Before and after that, I’ll need to step away for work.”

To clients:
“I want to serve you well through year-end. Here’s my availability and response time through January 2.”

Here’s the truth we don’t say out loud enough: stewarding your gifts well means protecting the capacity to use them.

Jesus modeled this perfectly. He withdrew from crowds to pray. He said no to some needs to say yes to His mission. His boundaries weren’t selfish—they were faithful.

You are not the savior of everyone's Christmas experience. 

You are a steward of the gifts Christ has entrusted to you, and that includes your presence, your energy, your leadership, and your peace.

Inhale. Exhale.

The most wonderful gift you can give your family and your business this December isn't a stressed-out version of you holding everything together.

It's a grounded, intentional, boundaried presence showing up as the person God created you to be.

Put the phone down. Step back from the center of everything. Trust your people to carry their part.

Your Christmas joy depends on it.