With Thanksgiving behind us, the Christmas season is in full swing. In fact, it’s hard to find a moment in which you are not bombarded by Christmas music, decorations, advertisements, flyers, party invitations, and TV commercials. Your calendar is probably filling up quickly, you may be counting the shopping days left before Christmas Eve, Christmas cards are starting to appear in your mailbox (and you can’t find the time for a family photo, forget addressing envelopes), your bank account might be suffering from a Black Friday hangover, and (let’s be honest) you might be feeling a little bit…
Overwhelmed.
Stressed.
Exhausted.
How did a holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus—who was born into poverty and never even owned a home of his own (much less a set of matching monogrammed bath towels)—become such a frenzy of stuff, busyness, and clutter?
If you are feeling overwhelmed and less than festive, you’re not alone. In fact, the holidays can be so stressful that a 2012 survey revealed that 45 percent of Americans say that they would actually prefer to skip Christmas altogether! If that doesn’t show that there’s a problem, then consider this: Christmas is the deadliest day of the year, presenting an annual and predictable spike in deaths (particularly heart-related) across the country.
This is no way to celebrate the Birth of the Savior!
If you are feeling sadder and stressed out than festive this year, listen to your heart. Christmas doesn’t have to be this way! You can step back, take a deep breath, and reclaim Christmas. Here are some ideas to help you focus on what’s important, slow down the pace, and enjoy the true meaning of Christmas Day:
Take an inventory of your traditions and commitments.
Over the years, things tend to sneak their way into the “tradition” category—but do you truly enjoy all of them? Write down all the things that you and your family expect to do between now and January 1st, and then ask: Does this truly add joy and meaning to our lives? If the answer is no—or even “maybe”—consider putting it aside this year.
Hint: Rather than asking everyone what traditions they enjoy, ask them what they would be sad to lose. You might be surprised to find that some activities are hanging on because everyone assumes that they are important to everyone else…and, if you find that you miss it this year, you can always do it next.
Schedule “quiet days,” at least once a week.
You don’t hesitate to put an appointment or social commitment on the calendar—why not schedule peaceful, family days in the same manner? Find a day or two each week that you will spend doing something that is peaceful, quiet, and revitalizing. Plan a candlelight dinner with your spouse, or a picnic by the fire with your family. Order pizza and play board games, or pop popcorn and watch a movie together. Find a good book that you can read aloud as a family, and cuddle up with blankets and hot cocoa. Curl up by yourself and do a puzzle—these quiet moments help reduce stress and the time to breathe makes it easier to keep up with the pace of the rest of the week.
Hint: Some great Christmas read-aloud are The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, A Christmas Carol, and The Gift of the Magi.
Practice saying “no”—and have a plan in place.
As fun as it can be to attend parties, help out at church, or participate in a gift exchange, these things add up and can deplete your time, energy and money. You can’t do it all—and you won’t enjoy trying to! It can be so hard to say “no” to invitations, opportunities to volunteer, and other requests for your time and money. If you have a plan in place, you won’t be stuck looking for words when you’re asked to be the head architect on gingerbread-house-day at your toddler’s preschool. Write down a short but gracious script for declining, and practice it in advance. As silly as it might sound, this really helps! Here’s an example: “Thank you so much for thinking of me! As much as I would love to (fill in the blank), I’ve made a commitment to myself this year to really cut back on activities and events. As much as I’d love to be able to, I’m going to have to pass this year.”
Hint: Make a pact as a family not to make any commitments with your time or money before consulting with one another. You can say “That sounds like a lot of fun! I’ll need to check with my family first, and I’ll get back to you once I do.”
Give a gift to Jesus this year.
This year, put some thought into what you can give to Jesus. You may not have gold, frankincense, and myrrh to offer—but there are so many ways that you can show your love for Christ! Is there something in your life that you’re holding back? Make a commitment to give it to God this year. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, or visit a nursing home. Sponsor a child through a reputable charity, or buy gifts for children in foster care. Spend some extra time in prayer and ask the Lord what you can do in the name of Jesus—there are so many ways that you can share the love of God and give the gift of your heart this year.
Hint: Consider asking your pastor if there is anyone in your church that needs help this Christmas season. Call the local homeless shelter to inquire about their needs, or contact your state foster care system to see how you might volunteer or contribute to those in need.
– Christ Revealed