The Holiday Calm Kit: In-the-Moment Tools for Navigating Family Gatherings with Peace and Presence

The holiday season is upon us—a time of tradition and togetherness. For many of us, this season also stirs up deep emotions. Maybe you’re anticipating moments of connection—or bracing for conflict. Maybe you’re feeling the weight of complicated relationships or wondering how you’ll show up when it feels like there’s no common ground.

When humans gather, carrying our stories, emotions, and perspectives, some level of messiness is inevitable. And yet, each moment gives us a choice. When our relationships are strained, we can break apart, retreating into isolation and estrangement. Or we can break open, allowing the discomfort to deepen our compassion, expand our understanding, and move us toward healing.

This is my hope with this new resource, the Holiday Calm Kit.

I’m not here to pressure you into reconnecting with everyone, smoothing over wounds that still need tending, or putting yourself into unsafe situations. I want to help you pause, reflect, and prepare—so you can make choices with intention and authenticity. Whether you lean into the mess or decide to step back, my hope is that you do so from a place of clarity and care for yourself and others.

In the Christian tradition, the table has always been sacred—a place where all are invited. Jesus, in his final days, shared a table with those who would betray and abandon him. He didn’t shy away from the tension. Instead, he leaned into it with grace, while always fiercely protecting the vulnerable. The table is not always an easy space. It’s a messy one. And yet, the table can be a place of healing and transformation, whether with your family of origin or your chosen family.

Maybe you’re in a season of faith deconstruction, or maybe you’re reimagining what it means to follow the teachings of Jesus. Perhaps you’ve left religion behind, but you still crave the depth and connection found in gathering with others. Wherever you are, this workbook is here to support you. It honors the full spectrum of what you might be carrying—your hopes, your hurts, your faith (or lack of it), and your longing to find belonging.

As you move through these pages, you’re invited to reflect, prepare, and return to yourself—your inner light that no one can extinguish, no matter how messy things get.