A Calm, Well-Rested Christmas: Sleep Tips for the Festive Season
A Calm, Well-Rested Christmas: Sleep Tips for the Festive Season
(*Contains affiliate links for some of my favourite products*)
Christmas with little ones is magical.
It’s also… a LOT.
Extra outings. Excited toddlers. Later bedtimes. Endless sugar. Disrupted routines. House guests. Travel.
And somewhere in the middle of it all, you’re meant to keep everyone well-rested and happy - including yourself.
Sleep at Christmas doesn’t look perfect and it doesn’t need to.
The goal isn’t to control every detail or keep bedtime rigid to the minute.
The goal is to protect everyone’s wellbeing enough that you can actually enjoy the season rather than simply survive it.
Here are my top tips for keeping things calm, rested and realistic this Christmas:
1. Start with the basics: familiar routines help everyone feel safe
Children thrive on predictability. When the world around them becomes more exciting, louder and busier, their usual rhythms become even more important.
You don’t need to recreate your normal routine perfectly, just aim for the key parts:
A familiar bedtime sequence (bath/wash → pyjamas → story → sleep)
A predictable wind-down
Keeping naps roughly at the same times where possible
Think of it as giving them “anchors”. Even if the day has been full of distractions or activities, their brain recognises the familiar pattern and knows: ah, now it’s time to sleep.
And the bonus? You’ll also feel calmer when you have something consistent to fall back on (and an excuse to leave somewhere).
2. Plan quieter days after busy ones
Christmas tends to swing from “cosy at home” to “fully overstimulated within 0.3 seconds”.
You can prevent overtiredness (and meltdowns for everyone) by intentionally adding gentler days into the calendar.
If you have a long day with family, a party, or an activity that keeps your little one awake longer, try to keep the following day simple:
Slow morning
Home naps if possible
Minimal travel
Less stimulation
Earlier bedtime
This isn’t about being restrictive - it’s about giving their nervous system some breathing room.
And yours too.
3. Prepare for later nights - don’t fear them
Sometimes bedtime will be later.
Sometimes there’s an event that doesn’t end at 6pm.
Sometimes your little one will refuse to leave Nanny’s house because they’re having a great time.
It’s ok.
One late night won’t undo months of good habits.
The trick is to buffer around it:
Add a quiet afternoon
Keep lights dim in the hour before you leave
Stick to the familiar bedtime routine when you get home (even if it’s a shorter version)
Offer an earlier bedtime the next day if they need it
If you have to travel, get little one ready for bed so they can fall asleep in the car and just be transferred their bed / cot when you get home.
This prevents overtiredness building up while still allowing you to enjoy the season.
4. Bring familiarity with you wherever you go
New environments can be exciting, overwhelming, or just… different.
Familiar items help your child’s body relax quicker.
Pack things like:
Their usual sleeping bag*
Comforter
Pyjamas worn the night before (they smell like home)
Their normal pillow (if age-appropriate)
It’s a simple way of saying to them, “You’re safe - you can sleep here too.”
And honestly, these little things can make the biggest difference.
5. Plan naps on the go - especially for toddlers
During Christmas, naps often happen:
In the car
In the pushchair
At grandparents’
40 minutes later than planned
Or not at all
Don’t panic - flexible nap days are normal.
If you know you’ll be out, aim for motion naps rather than fighting a losing battle. A snooze in the car is always better than no nap at all.
My favourite combo for on-the-go naps:
A SnoozeShade* (brilliant for blocking out stimulation)
A slightly earlier nap than usual to prevent overtiredness building
The key?
Don’t expect perfection.
Aim for “good enough to keep the day smooth”.
6. Be mindful with sugary treats (especially after dinner)
No one wants to police sugar at Christmas - I’m certainly not suggesting that.
But it’s worth remembering:
Sugar before bedtime can make settling harder
Some children become very sensitive to hidden sugars in fruit, yoghurt, biscuits, puddings
A big dessert right after dinner can push bedtime later simply because they become wide awake again
Instead, try:
Offering desserts earlier in the day
Keeping evenings calm and savoury
Saving chocolate for mornings or afternoons
It’s not about restriction (well within reason!)… just timing.
7. Keep new toys out of the bedroom
This one seems small, but it can make a real difference.
Christmas = new toys = excitement = the bedroom suddenly becomes a playground.
To protect sleep:
Keep bedrooms as calm as possible
Avoid new toys being visible from the cot/bed
Move anything exciting to another room
Bedrooms should feel like a safe, predictable space, not a reminder of the new flashing tractor they now desperately want to press buttons on.
8. Allow proper wind-down time - especially when little ones are overstimulated
Even if you get home late, give yourself 10-15 minutes of calm to help your child settle:
Low lights
Quiet voices
Gentle play or cuddles
A calm story
No screens
Think of this as a “reset” button for their nervous system.
It helps them fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer - even on chaotic days.
9. Don’t be afraid to say “no”
This is a big one.
There’s so much pressure to attend everything and keep everyone happy. But sometimes:
Plans don’t suit your child’s needs
You feel exhausted
You can tell the day will push everyone too far
And that’s when “no” becomes a form of self-care.
You don’t owe anyone a detailed explanation.
You’re prioritising your child’s wellbeing and your own.
A calmer Christmas is far better than a perfect one.
10. Ask for help - you don’t have to do it all
Sometimes the person who needs support the most is you.
You’re not just juggling sleep.
You’re juggling the cooking, the hosting, the shopping, the wrapping, the family dynamics, the overstimulation, the overtiredness - all while trying to create magic for your little one.
You are allowed to:
Delegate bedtime
Ask someone else to hold the baby
Take a breather in another room
Step outside for fresh air
Have half an hour alone
Say “I need a break”
A rested parent is a more present parent.
And that’s the part your child will remember.
And finally - enjoy it!
It’s ok if sleep isn’t perfect.
It’s ok if the routine slips for a few days.
It’s ok if you do what works in the moment.
Sleep can always be reset in January if need be.
Your child won’t remember the exact bedtime.
They’ll remember the lights, the cuddles, the magic, the messy moments, and you being there.
Focus on what feels good for your family - not what you “should” be doing.
You’ve got this.
If sorting sleep challenges is top of your list for January, I’d love to help.
Share this with a friend who's feeling anxious about sleep or leave a comment, I’d love to hear if any of these helped you.
