We Don’t Homeschool in December

This might surprise many people, homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers alike, but we don’t homeschool during December. Yep, that’s right. 

During December, we don’t do any work in our workbooks, journals, or flashcards. We even take a break from our novel studies. This might seem odd to most, but it’s a very conscious decision on our part.

You see, December is just so busy.

There are Christmas concerts and parties, storytimes with Santa and family dinners. Then there’s all the holiday stuff like decorating the house, shopping for presents, and holiday baking. Then there are all the fun things you want to do during the holiday season like writing letters to Santa, decorating gingerbread houses and making ornaments with the kids. In the past, I’ve tried to do it all. And I just end up exhausted, frustrated and overwhelmed. 

Last year, we decided to take the month off of homeschooling and it was the best decision we could have made. Instead of doing everything and feeling overwhelmed, we decided to lean into the holidays and focus on all the festivities for a few weeks.

But just because we aren’t homeschooling during this time doesn’t mean that we aren’t learning.

We start the month with our advent activity calendar. It’s filled with activities, crafts, and events for us to do for the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Some of it is educational like baking and letter writing. Some of it is fun, like the Christmas carol dance party. But, it gives us a chance to pick and choose what we will do during the month. 

We also read a lot of Christmas books. We pick a different storybook every night from under our Christmas tree and read a lot. It’s fun to have festive seasonal books at this time of year. We also go to concerts, plays, visit Santa and spend lots of time with our friends and family. 

Taking a break, especially during the holiday, can be a great blessing for your family and homeschooling.