Christmas Before MS vs. Christmas With MS: Finding Joy in the Adjustments

Christmas used to look very different for me.

Before MS, December felt like my personal Olympics. I’d sprint through the month: decorations up in one day, endless shopping trips, dinners with friends, office parties, baking marathons, wrapping (and more wrapping)… and somehow still finding energy to stay up until midnight writing cards I should’ve mailed weeks earlier.

I loved the chaos. Or at least, I thought I did.

Then MS arrived (I was diagnosed in November 2020)… Uninvited, unwrapped, and completely unwilling to follow my December initial plans. Suddenly, Christmas wasn’t just a holiday anymore. It became a negotiation: between my symptoms, my energy, and the version of myself I was still learning to understand.

My First Christmas With MS

I’ll never forget that first Christmas after my diagnosis. It was a strange mix of grief and determination. Part of me wanted to do everything “just like before” — because letting go felt like losing another piece of who I used to be.

But my body kept whispering (okay, shouting): “Slow down. I can’t keep up anymore.”

Did I listen? Not at first. I pushed through until I hit what I now call The Christmas Wall… that moment when you realize pushing harder isn’t strength, it’s self-sabotage dressed up in a glittery Santa hat.

Have you ever hit your own “holiday wall”? That point where your body or mind says, enough?

That year, I knew I had to change. Slowly. Reluctantly. And eventually… gratefully. 

The only question remaining was: HOW?

The Adjustments That Help Me Enjoy Christmas Again

🎄 1. Letting go of the “perfect Christmas”

Before MS, I wanted everything to look Pinterest-magical. Now my rule is simple: if it adds stress, it doesn’t belong in my Christmas. My living room has fewer decorations, but each one means something. And honestly? It feels more like home.
Did you ever wonder what would happen if you let that go?

✨ 2. Planning rest like I plan gifts

Rest used to be optional. Now it’s part of the plan. I schedule quiet moments like appointments … guilt-free AND non-negotiable. Sometimes it’s 20 minutes on the sofa with the Christmas lights glowing. Sometimes it’s canceling plans and choosing peace over pressure.

🎁 3. Simplifying gift-giving

Crowded shops? My personal MS horror movie. These days, I choose fewer gifts but with more intention. Sometimes I buy online, sometimes I make something small, and sometimes I simply share presence instead of presents. Because what people remember isn’t the price tag, it’s the feeling.
Honestly, do you remember all the gifts you ever received or the meaning and intentions behind the most important ones? 

🍪 4. Choosing moments, not marathons

I used to think Christmas fun meant doing everything. Now it’s about choosing the right few things. Maybe it’s baking one batch of cookies with my son instead of six. Maybe it’s one gathering instead of all of them. Maybe it’s a slow walk to see the lights instead of a full-day market marathon.

🏠 5. Letting go of the “hostess hero” role

This one is huge!  I still love hosting, but I prepare differently now. Less cooking, more potluck. Less impressing, more creating a warm space where everyone can just be themselves (including me). And honestly? The atmosphere feels softer, warmer … more human.
Just a gentle reminder here: if you host, how could you keep it joyful instead of exhausting?

What Christmas Means to Me Now

Christmas used to be about doing. Now it’s about being.

Being present.
Being gentle.
Being honest about my energy.
Being grateful for the soft, real moments.

MS didn’t ruin Christmas, it redefined it. It slowed me down enough to notice what truly matters: quiet joy, meaningful connection, warmth, laughter, rest, and that deep feeling of being held by the season instead of crushed by it.

And You…?

I’ve shared my story because we all have our own version of “Christmas before” and “Christmas now.”

Maybe you’ve had to adjust, simplify, or reinvent your traditions.
Maybe this season brings joy — or grief — or both…
Maybe you’re still figuring out what Christmas means for you with MS.

If You’re Ready to Try Something Different this Christmas…

Click below to download your free 5-Minute Energy Reset Cheat Sheet and get tools you can actually use, right now, to feel a little more grounded, a little more alive, and a lot more in charge.

👉 Download the Cheat Sheet Now

Wherever you are, I see you. 

Vanessa