How is the Rise of Intentional Living Reshaping Festive Celebration?
Jurianne Matter The festive season is no longer about squeezing more into an already overloaded year. The rejection of hyper-productivity, from ‘quiet quitting’ to ‘opting out’, is becoming an important macro trend across our festive forecasts.
As householders seek restoration, they are gravitating toward products and experiences that support calm, grounding, and emotional connection.
What began as a need for calm has grown into a desire for slowness—and soon, a craving for solo disconnection. Future consumers will increasingly reject the unnecessary pressures of the season. Instead, they are seeking emotional nourishment through small acts of self-kindness and staying true to their own values. The notion of celebration itself is shifting; from outwardly social to quietly introspective.
At TrendBible we recognise that broad macro trends need addressing more than once. It’s our job to find new and commercial angles that keep our clients relevant and in sync with their customers. This gradual reframing of the idea of rest, idleness and disconnection has been on our radar since 2022, but we forecast that it would have most significant commercial impact from 2024 onwards.
How has the rise of the intentional Christmas evolved?
Here, we look back at previous commercial angles featured in our Festive Forecasts and how we expect this macro trend will develop through to 2026.
2024: Energy Preservation
What we said:
Our 2024 trend, Peaceful Light, forecast that restorative moments and activities would help to set personal boundaries amongst the celebrations. At a time of year filled with complexity and emotion, the need to preserve energy was heightened. Daydreaming and naps, early morning walks and quiet twilight moments set the tone for a calmer, festive mood. Pockets of quiet became a sanctuary; inspiring everything from range development to illustrations.
What we saw:
The peaceful narrative at the heart of this trend was particularly successful in store, cutting through the noise, colour and tinsel on shelf. This trend’s stripped-back palette created space and light rather than clutter within home decor. Thoughtful materiality reinforced this sense of ease, from ornate paper decorations designed to fold away for longevity to kraft wrapping paper.
2025: Low-impact and Sustainable
What we said:
For 2025, the calm aesthetic continues to be a key feature as householders look to layer new items into this look. This festive season is set to be low-impact in more ways than one. The mood of the season is much less indulgent than in previous years. Consumers are prioritising their health and headspace throughout this season, reflected in boundary-setting and downsizing ambitions. The concept of the new year’s reset is more important than ever, with January resolutions in mind through November and December.
Synonymous with this quiet contentment is a focus on low-impact and sustainable festivities, ushering in a focus on the provenance and locality of materials as consumers seek thoughtfully manufactured gifts.
What we saw:
Signals of this emerging mindset have included underconsumption core and the rise of no-buy challenges. Seen in wide adoption across the high street, hand-crafted papier mâché and textured ceramics bring a raw, tactile quality to festive decorations this season, balancing craft and sustainability.
How will this macro trend evolve for 2026 and beyond?
Boundaries and intentionality will shape key occasions for several years to come. Opportunity lies in crafting product ranges and marketing that honours and supports smaller gatherings and personal rituals.
As spending time alone becomes its own celebration, the question is: How can you help your customer to create joyful moments just for themselves?
Want deeper insight into how this trend impacts Festive 2026 or an early look at how it could evolve into 2027?
TrendBible’s 2027 Festive Forecast will guide you through the holiday season. Helping you create future-ready product ranges and inspiring storytelling.
All our Festive Forecasts are available for Premium Seasonal and Celebration subscribers on My TrendBible. They are also available to purchase as a standalone product via the Trend Store.