7 quiet holiday plans & 7 too noisy when you just want to relax

Nothing beats the comfort of your own sofa. Prepare a marathon of classic Christmas movies (or others), turn off the ceiling light, turn on the fairy lights, and cover yourself with blankets. This is a cozy Christmas where the silence is only broken by the crackling of popcorn. These are the ultimate stress-free holidays to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

Trade the blaring speakers for the majestic acoustics of a church or concert hall. Christmas concerts (choirs, orchestras) offer a sublime, focused, and incredibly festive atmosphere without being noisy. You listen, you absorb the beauty of the music, and applause is the only sound allowed. A moment of suspended grace for you to escape.

Instead of a crowded bar, have a quiet conversation in a literary café, surrounded by books, while enjoying tea or hot chocolate. Organize a board game night at home, focusing on strategy games or quiet card games. You could also consider a relaxing puzzle night with family or friends, choosing Christmas as the theme.

Many theaters schedule short, intimate plays during the holidays. It’s a cultural outing that contrasts with mega ice shows. The atmosphere is focused, the silence in the theater is religious, and the emotion is direct. An excellent way to cultivate your mind without overtaxing your eardrums.

An evening spent focusing on a craft activity is surprisingly calming. Make Christmas wreaths, decorate cookies, or wrap gifts with care. The concentration required naturally induces calm. Play soft music in the background, and the only noise will be the rustling of paper or the sprinkling of icing sugar.

Avoid the crowds at the Christmas markets, but enjoy the city’s decorations. Dress warmly and take a long nighttime walk through residential neighborhoods or parks, with a thermos of hot drink in hand. The silence creates an almost meditative atmosphere, the luxury of tranquility to marvel at the outdoors.

A tasting evening is inherently relaxed. Focus on a platter of fine cheeses or chocolates with quality wines or spirits. Each flavor invites reflection rather than clamor. Conversations are calm, centered on appreciation. It’s a time to be epicurean without the pressure of a crowd.

This is the plan that promises to put an end to any possibility of conversation or inner peace. Between the off-key notes shouted into the microphone and the loud encouragement from the (often drunk) audience, karaoke is a real acoustic assault. If you have to repeat every sentence three times, run away from this plan, which guarantees headaches and tinnitus.

A pub during an important game, even a friendly one, is a place of constant noise. On the giant screen, the commentators are at full volume, and every goal (or miss) is accompanied by a sonic explosion. The waiters shouting orders to each other doesn’t help matters. If you had planned to calmly discuss your plans for the year, forget it: you won’t hear a thing until halftime.

A Christmas market at rush hour is sensory overload. Loudspeakers blast Christmas music, crowds jostle around the stalls, and conversations (inevitably loud) mingle with the sounds of city traffic. The smells are delicious, but the soundscape is hell if you’re looking for serenity.

An arcade or game complex (laser tag, bowling) is fun, but incredibly noisy. Each machine blares its own electronic melody, players shout with joy or frustration, and the whole thing is topped off with energetic background music. An ideal place for an adrenaline rush, but disastrous for a cozy and relaxing evening.

Humor is great, but the atmosphere at a stand-up show is often intense. The microphone is powerful, the audience’s laughter is explosive, and the regular applause is deafening. For people who are sensitive to noise, it’s a succession of loud noises. You laugh a lot, yes, but tranquility takes a back seat and doesn’t return until the next day.

The DJ hired by the company has only one mission: to get everyone dancing, which means he has to turn the speakers up to full volume. Between the loud music and colleagues trying to tell you about their past lives by shouting in your ear, the cozy atmosphere is far from it. You leave with your ears ringing.

It’s Christmas and you’re filled with love for the twenty or so guests who are arriving, but the noise factor is multiplied by the number of people. The hubbub of conversations, beeping toys, cousins running around the hallway, and the coffee machine running constantly… Trying to have a conversation lasting more than ten seconds is a feat.