There’s a funny thing that happens every December.
You want all the cozy, twinkly, hot-cocoa magic the season promises, and yet part of your brain is whispering that the year is almost over and you’re not ready.
At the end of every year, I find myself sitting under the fairy lights with a to-do list running in my head.
I don’t want this December to be spent in that same energy. So, I am making a challenge instead, with one small thing to do every day of the month.
Some are festive, some are restful, and a few will quietly tidy up the year that’s going away so January doesn’t hit you like a wall.
Here you go!
The Best December Challenge
Day 1: Brew a cinnamon sea-salt hot cocoa
Start the month with a mug that feels like a hug. Warm up milk, whisk in two spoonfuls of cocoa and a little sugar, then add a cinnamon stick and the tiniest pinch of sea salt.
The salt makes the chocolate taste richer, I promise. Sip it by a window while you build a playlist of songs that feel like December to you.
Day 2: Pick your word for the month
Instead of a giant goal, choose one word to carry you through December. Mine is usually something like “savor” or “soft.”
Write it on a sticky note and stick it on your mirror or the cover of your notebook. When the month gets busy, that little word brings you back to what you actually wanted from it.
Day 3: String up fairy lights
Warm-white fairy lights are the cheapest mood boost I know. Wrap them around a bookshelf, a headboard or a window frame.
Then switch off the main light one evening and just sit in the glow for ten minutes. Everything looks kinder in that light, including your Tuesday.
Day 4: Write a letter to the next December you
Grab a pen and write to the you of December 2027. Tell her what you’re hoping for, what you’re proud of this year, and what you want her to remember.
Seal the envelope and write “open on 31st December 2027” on the front. We’ll tuck it away at the end of the month.
Day 5: Declutter one drawer
Not the whole wardrobe, just one drawer. Pick the one that always gets stuck, set a ten-minute timer, and toss anything broken, dried up, or unloved.
It’s a small win, and it’s weirdly satisfying. Think of it as the first tiny step of your end-of-year reset, without the overwhelm.
Day 6: Have a winter reading date with yourself
Pick a book that fits the season, a mystery, a gentle romance or a comfort re-read. Make tea, grab your softest blanket, and read for thirty uninterrupted minutes.
Put your phone in another room. I did this last year and finished a whole book in two evenings without even trying.
Day 7: Bake three-ingredient shortbread
Shortbread is wonderfully forgiving. Mix 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, and 3 parts flour, press it into a pan, and bake at 160°C (325°F) until pale golden, about 25 minutes.
Your kitchen will smell like a bakery. Share a few pieces with a neighbor, or don’t; I won’t tell.
Day 8: Go on a lights walk
Bundle up and walk through your neighborhood after sunset. Look for decorated windows, lit-up balconies, even a shop’s glittery display.
Carry a flask of chai or ginger tea so your hands stay warm. Walking with no destination in mind is such an underrated way to reset your head.
Day 9: Send a handwritten card
Choose someone who lives far away, a friend, a cousin, or an old teacher, and write them a few real sentences. Mention one specific memory you share.
Real mail is so rare now that it feels like a tiny gift. Stamp it today so it actually leaves your desk.
Day 10: Spend one morning hour phone-free
For the first hour after waking up, leave your phone on the other side of the room. Make your tea, stretch a little, look out the window.
It felt strange the first time I tried it, almost like I’d forgotten how to start a day gently. By the third morning, I was craving it.
Day 11: Soak in a cozy bath
Run a warm bath and stir in half a cup of Epsom salt. Light a candle, dim the lights and let your shoulders drop.
If you don’t have a tub, a warm foot soak in a basin works beautifully. Either way, this is peak December self-care.
Day 12: Journal your year’s wins
Write down three things that went well this year. They can be big, like a new job, or small, like finally drinking enough water.
We’re so quick to list what we didn’t finish. Your wins deserve a few lines too, and reading them back might surprise you.
Day 13: Simmer a pot of lentil soup
Sauté onion, garlic and a spoon of cumin, then add red lentils, carrots and vegetable stock. Simmer for 25 minutes and finish with lemon juice.
It’s cheap, filling and warms you up from the inside. Make extra and freeze a portion for the busy week ahead.
Day 14: Clean up your digital space
Spend twenty minutes on your phone and inbox. Unsubscribe from ten newsletters, delete duplicate screenshots, and archive old chats.
A tidy phone feels like a tidy mind. It’s the sneakiest way to make January feel lighter before it even arrives.
Day 15: Host a tiny movie night
Pick one cozy film and invite a friend, or make it a solo night with popcorn. Drizzle melted butter over the popcorn and add a shake of cinnamon sugar.
Keep it low effort, just blankets on the floor and no one talking over the good parts. Those are the evenings you remember later.
Day 16: Pack a donation box
Look through your shelves for books, scarves, or jackets you no longer use. Fill one box and drop it at a local charity or shelter.
I always feel like the stuff finally gets to do its job when someone else wears or reads it. Winter clothes especially are needed right now.
Day 17: Wrap gifts with a podcast on
Spread kraft paper on the floor, grab twine and a few sprigs of dried orange or rosemary, and put on your favorite podcast. Wrap slowly.
The twine and greenery make even a plain box look boutique. Wrapping this way turns a chore into a calm little ritual.
Day 18: Do a bedtime stretch routine
Spend ten minutes before bed doing gentle stretches: child’s pose, cat-cow, and legs up the wall for two minutes. Breathe slowly through each one.
December can be tiring in the loveliest way. This helps your body wind down so sleep comes easily.
Day 19: Call an old friend
Think of someone you haven’t spoken to in months and call them, no texting first. Ask what’s been the best part of their year.
It might feel awkward for the first minute, then you’ll fall into the old rhythm. I always hang up wondering why I waited so long.
Day 20: Make a stovetop simmer pot
Fill a small pot with water, orange slices, two cinnamon sticks, and a few cloves. Let it simmer on the lowest heat.
Your home will smell like a festive candle shop, minus the wax. Just top up the water as it reduces so it doesn’t dry out.
Day 21: Light a candle for the longest night
The winter solstice is the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, which makes it the perfect evening for reflection. Light a candle and write down one thing you’re ready to release.
Tear the page into pieces afterward. It’s a quiet, symbolic way to make space for what’s coming.
Day 22: Prep ahead for tomorrow
Do your future self a favor. Chop vegetables, set the table, charge your devices, and lay out your outfit for the next few days.
A little prep now means you can actually enjoy the festivities instead of scrambling through them. It’s one of my favorite low-key December self-care ideas.
Day 23: Do one anonymous kindness
Pay for someone’s coffee, leave a kind note on a colleague’s desk, or tuck a few encouraging words into a library book.
You don’t have to see their reaction for it to count. The warm feeling you carry afterward is more than enough.
Day 24: Slow down the evening
Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, this is a lovely night to go slow.
For Christmas Eve, keep dinner simple, put your phone away by 9 pm, and write down three things you’re grateful for.
I like to read until my eyes get heavy. The excitement is better when it’s not rushed.
Day 25: Be fully present for one hour
On Christmas, choose one stretch of the day, maybe lunch or opening gifts, and be photo-free during it.
No scrolling and no checking your messages.
Look at people’s faces, listen to the stories being told twice, and notice what’s on the table. This is the part you’ll remember.
Day 26: Take a guilt-free pajama day
Stay in your comfiest pajamas and do absolutely nothing productive. Order in or reheat leftovers, and watch whatever you like.
You’ve earned a day off after all that celebrating. Rest isn’t lazy; it’s what lets everything else work.
Day 27: Build a year-in-photos album
Scroll through your camera roll and pick twelve photos, one for each month. Put them in a shared album or print them as a tiny collage.
Seeing the whole year laid out is surprisingly moving. You’ll notice happy moments you’d already forgotten.
Day 28: Write your bucket list for next year
Now that you’ve reflected, look forward and make a bucket list for the coming year.
Write twenty things you’d love to do in 2027, from the simple pleasures to the big dreams that you hesitate to dream up.
Need a nudge? My 2027 bucket list might spark some ideas. Do check it out!
Day 29: Refresh your space
Change your bedsheets, wipe down your desk, and open the windows for fifteen minutes. If you can, add a small plant or a few fresh flowers.
A clean room feels like a clean slate. It’s a gentle way to prepare for the new year without turning it into a full spring-clean.
Day 30: Choose three tiny habits for the new year
Skip the giant resolutions and pick three habits so small they feel almost silly, like drinking a glass of water after waking up or reading two pages before bed.
Pair each habit with something you already do daily. That way, it sticks without needing willpower.
Day 31: Seal the year with a closing ritual
On New Year’s Eve, take your letter from Day 4, add a line about how this month felt, and tuck it somewhere safe.
Write one thing you’re leaving behind and one thing you’re carrying forward.
Then raise a glass of sparkling juice or something stronger, and toast yourself.
You showed up for the whole month, and that deserves a little celebration.
Let’s Make December Count!
Whether you completed every day or only five of them, you gave yourself a more intentional December. That’s the point.
Take whatever felt good and bring it into January with you. The cocoa, the walks, the quiet evenings- they’re not just for December.
Be gentle with yourself as the new year begins, and know that I’m cheering for you.
Which day was your favorite? Tell me in the comments, I always write back.
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