How Are You Manifesting the Season?

As Christmas approaches, I’m excited about the joy and festivity involved in the season. I love the holiday cheer and time with family, but I also feel the pull toward busyness. Christmas is coming; I must do all the things! Where does this urge to make Christmas big, lavish, and packed-to-the-gills with merriment come from? Yes, I want to make it a fun time for my family, but why do I believe more equals better? Why do I do all the things I do at Christmastime:

I decorate the downstairs from floor to ceiling, hunt high and low for the perfect gifts for family and friends, bake all twenty kinds of Christmas cookies in our cookbook with my kids, make time to drive around and look at lights, decorate three Christmas trees, host an annual ornament exchange, send Christmas cards, have a new Christmas craft ready for the kids each day in December, find multiple ways to serve or be generous, and—lest I forget why we’re doing all this in the first place—make sure I emphasize Advent and Jesus’s birth as the reason for the season with my children. That list doesn’t include my husband’s work Christmas party, the kids’ school Christmas performances, and any other activities we may be invited to by friends and family.

It’s overwhelming just thinking about it. But who says I must do all these things? Is it possible for the season to be equally—and possibly more—enjoyable if I do less? Probably, but how do I decide what to remove and what stays? I love my family spending time together and enjoying the novelties of the season. However, I don’t think Jesus wants me to become more frazzled, more worn-out, and less joyful as I get closer to celebrating his appearance on earth.

Learn the Unforced Rhythms of Grace

While thinking about all the opportunities of the Christmas season and the stress that can result from overextending myself in an effort to squeeze all the fun into December, these Scriptures came to mind: Matthew 11:28–30 and James 1:5. I love the Message paraphrase of the Matthew passage, when Jesus says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Just hearing that invitation to rest and learn how to live freely and lightly buoys my spirit and makes me feel that perhaps a relaxing, joy-filled Christmas is possible. It reminds me that I’m not supposed to wear myself out trying to do everything. Jesus is the point of Christmas, and I should be remembering him by spending time with him. Being with Jesus reminds me that my output and performance don’t determine my worth. I’m not more loved or accepted the more I do. I’m as loved taking a nap as I am sorting dry goods at our local food pantry.

Do my activities stem from a desire to please or receive acceptance from other people? How is my packed schedule manifesting the love, joy, peace, and faith of the season?

Seek God’s Wisdom

James 1:5 (NIV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you,” reminding me to ask God for wisdom. I can ask him for discernment in choosing activities for the Christmas season. Can I cut out things that won’t be missed anyway? Can I do less of an activity or combine purposes? Perhaps only bake three types of cookies and then give some to our local firefighters or the new neighbors? Can the kids have a weekly rather than daily craft that reminds us of Jesus’s birth or becomes a gift for someone? I don’t mean multitasking for the sake of doing more, but rather creating more margin to enjoy the season, to still participate in enjoyable activities but decrease the amount of time the activities consume.

I asked my children and husband what their favorite Christmas activities are, and I’m planning to focus on making sure those are in our schedule. I do want to have Christmas traditions, but I don’t have to incorporate all the ideas I see online into our Christmas celebration. One or two are plenty to help anchor the season and memories. I can also hang up some of our decorations and decide whether the house feels festive. If so, I can stop. If not, I can add more until it does. More is not always better. I want my home to be inviting, not cluttered.

Focus on Jesus

My biggest struggle is with focusing on Jesus. We started a Jesse tree a few years ago, but with both kids now in school and the family having several weekly activities, it’s hard to make time to sit down and complete the daily reading and ornament hanging every day. Maybe we need a shorter activity or should rotate Advent activities from year to year to keep them fresh. We use our Advent wreath every year. Maybe this year that weekly lighting of a candle could be enough. If I really want a season that reflects peace, joy, and love, reducing stress is important. “Less is more” sounds like a perfect mantra for the season. We can talk about the significance of Jesus’s birth anytime. I don’t know why I think I must have a script or program to make sure I’m doing it right.

I’m still trying to figure out what’s best for me, but I think slowing down to savor the season and the people around me reflects the true spirit of Christmas—simple, limited fanfare, with a focus on love.

Megan Byrd is an author, blogger, and SAHM. She lives with her husband, two children, and cat in Georgia. Megan likes to read, travel, exercise, attend cultural events, and learn. She blogs at meganbyrd.net.