☐ choose one small “fast.” it doesn’t have to be extreme! during advent, try abstaining from one little thing—sweets, impulsive purchases, social media after dark, delivery food. just something that reins in excess and makes the eventual feast feel more intentional.

☐ make a “things i’m saving for christmastide” list. instead of doing everything

☐ a forty-day tidy. candlemas is 40 days after christmas, so honor it by choosing exactly one shelf, cluttered drawer, or dustry surface to clear and reset. think of it as a pre-spring cleaning.

☐ gather or buy winter greenery. holly, ivy, pine branches, rosemary, bay, eucalyptus, yew, and whatever else is accessible. arrange them in a jug or along a mantle as your “winter garland.”

☐ craft a threshold charm. twist a small bundle of evergreen, a sprig of rosemary, and a ribbon. hang it over your front door or bedroom door as a simple

☐ plan the “fields” of your year. think like a medieval farmer would! you can’t cultivate everything at once. choose 2–3 areas of life that are your “active fields” this year, and 1–2 that are consciously “fallow.”