I don’t know about you, but this year I just couldn’t get excited about hauling the Christmas decorations down from the attic (again) and decorating the house (again).
Maybe it was because, for the first time, both kids were gone. Or maybe after 40+ years of decking halls, I was simply… done. Whatever the reason, I had zero interest in Christmas decorating.
I did get everything down. I did a cursory job (only five trees instead of eight or nine), strategically placed fresh poinsettias to hide the areas I couldn’t be bothered with, and when the kids came home for Thanksgiving, the house was festive enough. I called it good.
And that’s when it hit me.
When did I go from “I can’t wait to get all the Christmas stuff out!” to “What’s the bare minimum?”
When did I stop looking for ways to have fun—and why?
I’m a Sanguine through and through. FUN is my love language. For most of my life, I’ve intentionally made sure the fun happened.
But at 62, I realized I’d slipped into a pattern of looking for the easiest path to the end result. Less effort. “Good enough.” And without realizing it, a lot of the fun had quietly slipped away.
Boo.
So I decided to stop the slide and start looking for the fun again. Here are a few ideas—maybe they’ll help you find the fun too.
1. Figure Out What You Really Want
When it comes to Christmas decorating, I do want a beautiful home. But I also want time to paint, play pickleball, and enjoy my women’s Bible study.
Once I looked honestly at my priorities, I realized I could dial back the decorating, make room for the things I love, and still be happy with the results. The joy came from recognizing that I actually get to choose.
When you know what you want, you can create it—trade-offs and all.
2. Look for Inspiration
I used to rely mostly on friends to discover fun things to do. Now, I also lean on local Instagram accounts, community magazines, and “what’s happening” lists.
Yes, it may take 10–15 minutes of scrolling, but inspiration is everywhere if you’re willing to look. Be proactive. Fun rarely finds us—we usually have to go find it.
3. Be Fearless About Trying New Things
After my brief (and quickly discarded) attempt at becoming a flight attendant, I realized the sky truly is the limit.
So when a local church offered weekly Mahjong and the equipment looked adorable, I thought, “Why not?”
I went. I tried it. And I hated it.
Twelve to sixteen women sitting silently, intensely focused on tiles… and math. No amount of darling equipment could ever make that fun for me. Ever. 😂
But here’s the thing: now I know.
Try the class. Sign up for the workshop. Check your city’s activity guide—photography, pottery, flower arranging, travel clubs, exercise classes.
If you love it, fantastic. If not, let it go.
Either way, you’ve gained clarity.
4. Remember What You Loved—and Do It Again
This past Sunday, I sat in church listening to the choir, orchestra, and organ. The music was magnificent and breathtaking.
As I reached for a tissue, I leaned over and told my husband, “There will not be another Christmas where I’m not singing in a choir.”
Music has been woven into my life since I was six years old. I play the flute. I’ve sung around the world—even at Carnegie Hall (with a choir, of course). When kids came along, music took a back seat.
Now I realize how deeply I miss it.
What did you love once?
And how can you invite it back into your life?
5. Start Now
Adding fun back into your life doesn’t start someday—it starts now.
Don’t wait. When inspiration nudges you, act on it. Time is ticking, and if you woke up this morning, God still has plans for you—good ones, prepared in advance for you to do.
Having fun is often the byproduct of living fully, intentionally, and for His glory.
And there has never been a better time to start than today.
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Christy Largent is a motivational speaker, painter, and joy enthusiast based in Texas. After decades as an interior designer and professional speaker, she’s now inspiring women everywhere to embrace their Empty Nest years as a fresh season of discovery. Through her art, writing, and storytelling, Christy encourages others to live with purpose, laughter, and faith—because joy truly is made visible.
Follow her at ChristyLargent.com or on Instagram @ChristyLargent for a daily dose of color, creativity, and encouragement.
Christy!!
Sending you a HUGE “AAAAAAY-MEN!” From one sanguine to another…. I understand and appreciate your suggestions!
Excellent! So glad they helped!
I recently posted something on “just good enough” to my Oregon Bible study (I now live in southern CA again) and it was an interesting discussion. Rick Warren had said in a sermon decades ago about Saddleback being the church of just good enough and I was dealing with perfectionism so it shook my belief system in a good way. In fact, I’ve embraced it, to my husband’s distress:))) Decades of perfectionism have served me well but at 80, time to relax into doing what want to do. I agree about Mahjong.
I too struggle with dragging all the Christmas decorations out but once the house resembles Santa’s Village, it is fun to see the goofy reindeer and beautiful tree.
Reality here is that at 82, my husband is using a walker and dealing with an impending surgery. Guess what? He is still funny. We still have fun. Every time I watch animal videos on Instagram, I thank God that within living creatures he implanted the impulse to play and enjoy. May we all be blessed with gratitude that fun is still on our menu. Merry Christmas!
I love this! So inspirational. Thanks for sharing.