Dec 24 - A Christmas Eve Note from Me to You - GON in 5 Minutes Newsletter

Published: Wed, 12/24/25

Updated: Wed, 12/24/25

Get Organized Now!

In Less Than 5 Minutes!

by Maria Gracia

December 24, 2025

GetOrganizedNow.com

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Before the day ends, sit down and do absolutely nothing for five quiet minutes. No phone. No lists. No fixing or straightening. Just be where you are.

A Christmas Eve Note from Me to You

If you’re reading this at some point today, I want to start by saying something clearly: you’ve done enough.

Enough planning. Enough preparing. Enough showing up. Whatever today looks like in your home or your heart, it’s okay to let it be just as it is.
Christmas Eve has a different kind of feeling to it, doesn’t it? It’s quieter, softer.

The anticipation is still there, but so is a gentle pause...a moment where the world seems to hold its breath. I hope you allow yourself to step into that pause, even if only for a few minutes.

If the house isn’t perfect, it’s still welcoming.

If not everything got done, what mattered most probably did.

If emotions are mixed, joy, nostalgia, sadness, gratitude, that’s normal. This night carries memories along with hope, and both are allowed to sit side by side.

Tonight isn’t about doing one more thing or fixing one last detail. It’s about being present where you are. Sitting down. Taking a breath. Letting the noise quiet just a bit. Whether that means enjoying a cup of cocoa with a candy cane, sitting near the glow of the lights, or simply closing your eyes for a moment, give yourself permission to stop striving.

Tomorrow will arrive on its own. The magic doesn’t depend on exhaustion or perfection. It shows up when there’s space for it.

So this is my Christmas Eve wish for you:

May you feel calm enough to rest.

May you feel grateful for what is.

And may you know that, just as you are right now, you are more than enough.

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas Eve and a heart that feels full in all the right ways.

On another note...
New Year, Ready for Anything: Simple Essentials to Start Fresh: Everyday items that support fresh starts, gentle routines, and a more organized, intentional year ahead.
Essentials for the New Year

How Christmas Eve Came to Be

Long before Christmas became a day filled with gifts and gatherings, the evening before it carried deep meaning of its own. In early Christian tradition, days didn’t begin at midnight or sunrise; they began at sundown.

This way of marking time came from Jewish tradition, which is why many important observances still begin the evening before. Because of this, Christmas originally started on the night of December 24, not the morning of the 25th.

For centuries, Christmas Eve was observed as a vigil, a night of quiet waiting and reflection. Churches held candlelit services, sometimes lasting until midnight, symbolizing light entering the darkness.

In many European countries, this night (not Christmas morning) was when families gathered for their most meaningful meal, often simple and symbolic rather than lavish.

Some traditions we still recognize today grew from these early practices. Lighting candles, setting out greenery, and even leaving lights on through the night all trace back to the idea of watching and waiting.

In parts of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, Christmas Eve remains the most important part of the holiday, with gifts opened and celebrations held before midnight.

That history helps explain why Christmas Eve still feels different. It’s quieter, more reflective, and filled with anticipation. Long before wrapping paper and schedules, this night was meant to slow people down...to prepare the heart before the celebration arrived.

In many ways, the calm of Christmas Eve isn’t an extra part of the holiday; it’s how Christmas was always meant to begin.

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Also, please forward this newsletter to 5 of your family members and/or friends and share the love!

Here's what just one GON reader had to say...

"I read your newsletter all the time, and your ongoing advice has been on my mind as Christmas Eve gets closer. Your constant reminders to slow down and not overdo it helped me rethink how I want to experience it this year.

Instead of pushing through one more task, I’m planning to sit down, enjoy the lights, and actually take in the moment. I’m really looking forward to Christmas Eve now, in a way I haven’t for a long time."

-- Olivia Pierce

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Monthly Organizing Checklist:
December 2025
Whether you’re hosting holiday gatherings, finishing shopping and wrapping, or planning for the new year, these small daily tasks will help keep your home tidy and your month peaceful and productive. Access my brand new December 2025 Organizing Checklist

Monthly Organizing Challenges:
Holiday Photo
Each day, snap a daily holiday photo that captures the spirit of December...twinkling lights, cozy nights, family traditions, sweet treats, snowy scenes, or anything that warms your heart. By the end of the month, you’ll have a collection of memories you can look back on and cherish long after the season has passed. Access my Holiday Photo Challenge

Last Month's Web Poll Results:
When Do You Start Decorating for the Holidays?
The responses came in from every type of decorator, those who start early, those who wait until December, and everyone in between. It’s always fun to see how different households kick off the season. Click here to access the results

New Web Poll:
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With so many cozy scents filling the air this month, I thought it would be fun to see which one feels the most festive to you. What’s the best smell of December? Access the poll on my home page and cast your vote

"It was Christmas Eve. Big snowflakes fluttered slowly through the air like white feathers and made all of the Heavenly Valley smooth and white and quiet and beautiful.

Tall fir trees stood up to their knees in snow and their outstretched hands were heaped with it.

Those that were bare of leaves wore soft white fur on their scrawny, reaching arms and all the stumps and low bushes had been turned into fat white cupcakes."

-- Betty MacDonald, Nancy and Plum

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Warmly,

Maria Gracia
GetOrganizedNow.com

How to Use This Newsletter

In this newsletter, you will find stories, ideas, inspiration, links and more to help you live a less stressful, more organized, more fulfilling life.

We encourage you to apply these ideas to your own life AND share them liberally with your family, friends, and fan base via email, on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, other social media outlets, and in person, of course!

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Thank you for helping to spread the gift of organizing far and wide!

-- Maria

Maria Gracia,

Get Organized Now!

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-- Maria Gracia

Get Organized Now!
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