How to set limits in the holidays (and actually enjoy it) with Niro Feliciano
Pardon the Mess with Scarlet Hiltibidal - Christian Motherhood, Biblical Parenting, Raising Christian Kids
Scarlet Hiltibidal and Christian Parenting
4.9 • 850 Ratings
🗓️ 20 November 2025
⏱️ 35 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Does anyone else feel like the holidays keep getting crazier and crazier? Busier and busier? On the podcast this week is Niro Feliciano. You may recognize from her regular appearances on The Today Show. She is a certified cognitive therapist, the co-founder of Integrative Counseling and Wellness Group in Wilton, CT and the author of All is CALMish. I love her professional insight and perspective on the pressure of Christmas. She reminds that the mental health of our families will benefit as we prioritize our presence over the perfection of Christmas.
Niro reflects on the significance of holiday celebrations and the importance of meaningful connections of superficial interactions. She shares her journey of reevaluating how she celebrates the holidays, empathizing with the need for deeper connections with loved ones and a more intentional approach to social gatherings.
My favorite part is when Niro encourages us moms to find “micro moments of joy” during the holidays. As a mom, we can spin our wheels to make everything magical for all and we forget to encounter Jesus and take care of ourselves. What are some little things you can do to dial in the peace and joy and dial out the pressure and stress?
Before we dive right into the same Christmas chaos, let’s pray for God to order our days. How can we spend more time in the presence of Jesus? How can we focus on being over doing? What traditions and parties and commitments can we delete or pause to add more capacity?
Enjoy!
Courtney
Chapters:
00:00 Navigating Holiday Stress
03:00 The Pressure of Perfection
06:07 Creating Meaningful Traditions
08:59 Connection Over Perfection
12:00 Finding Joy in Giving
14:55 Holiday Experiences in the City
15:32 Embracing the Holiday Spirit
18:20 Navigating Family Dynamics
25:31 Setting Boundaries for Joy
27:50 Modeling Joy for Future Generations
Connect with Pardon The Mess:
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Resources from today’s show:
Connect with Niro
All is CALMish - Niro’s new book
Light ‘Em Up Acts - ideas for giving
Christian Parenting Christmas Gift Guide
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Christian Parenting |
| 0:02.0 | Let's stop Christmas. |
| 0:10.0 | All I want for Christmas is the weather to be below like 70 degrees. |
| 0:14.0 | That's the heart of a Texan right there. |
| 0:16.0 | But I know if you're like me, finding the perfect gift for the people you love, it should feel joyful, right? But it often feels stressful. So between the busy schedules and crowded stores, it's easy to |
| 0:25.3 | lose the joy of giving. And that's why Christian Parenting created the 2025 Christmas gift guide, |
| 0:30.3 | a one-stop collection of thoughtful, faith-filled gifts for every age and stage. And inside this guide, |
| 0:35.5 | you'll find meaningful ideas for kids, parents, |
| 0:38.0 | grandparents, and your friends, all designed to point hearts back to the true reason for the season. |
| 0:43.2 | Plus, we've included some of our very favorite advent resources from family activities to |
| 0:48.1 | devotionals just for kids so you can keep Jesus at the center of Christmas. And best of all, |
| 0:53.0 | it's completely free. |
| 0:54.7 | Check out the guide today at Christianparenting.org slash Christmas and make this |
| 0:58.8 | Christmas your most meaningful and least stressful. |
| 1:14.9 | Hey friends, welcome back to Pardon the Mess. |
| 1:19.7 | I'm your host, Courtney Defeo, and I am so excited about today, and I hope it is truly practically helpful. |
| 1:21.7 | So you're about to head into the holidays. |
| 1:24.2 | Thanksgiving is coming up and then Christmas, and I want you to be honest. |
| 1:28.2 | Have you enjoyed the last several Christmases with your family? Or have they just been too much? |
| 1:33.5 | Is it too many activities, too many traditions? Is everybody cranky? Have you even gone |
| 1:38.2 | to church? Like, we have to pause. And really, before we just head into the same-o-same-all, |
| 1:43.3 | and as Neroa we'll talk about today, |
... |
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