Anticipating Christmas

 It's a busy time of year, for sure. I've let my blog posts slide and for that I apologize. Won't happen again. I intend to post a new blog every Thursday, for sure!

Just look at this mess. It really sums up a month without enough days.

This is my "usually tidy" guest room. During December it becomes a wrapping, decorating, dumping spot. I bet everyone has a room like that during the holidays.

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I was raised in the country in a suburb just outside Cleveland, Ohio. My neighborhood consisted of a lot of kids, but most of them were boys. Therefore, I loved it when a girlfriend from school would come to my house for a Friday night sleepover.

I remember watching out my bedroom window for Laurie, my very "bestest" friend. I could see the end of the street so I knew when her dad's car would turn into the neighborhood. Only then would I smile and relax, knowing the sleepover really was going to take place. I don't know why I always doubted she would show. She always did.

I never will forget the feeling of anticipation waiting for Laurie. I really liked her and I liked having a girl to play with, rather than rough-and-tumble boys. We always had a fun time together.

Advent is like that. We anticipate celebrating Jesus' birth and all the festivities surrounding this important holiday. Some even start planning for Christmas in January!

Sometimes, however, we overload ourselves with activities and anticipation turns to exhaustion. Here are some suggestions if you find yourself with too much to do, and too little December left to accomplish it:

• Spend alone time with God, every day--no matter how busy you are.
• Rest.
• Observe good nutrition. Enjoy the delicious holiday treats at gatherings, but eat healthy at home so you can indulge with no guilt.
• Exercise so you can enjoy the fun food. It will help your energy level stay high.
• Schedule family time. The holidays are a good time to do things together: decorating, baking, wrapping, playing board games, watching shmaltzy movies, etc. A once-a-week game night with no electronics will create fun memories. The kids might groan at first, but they'll enjoy it and even look forward to it. Don't forget outdoor fun, no matter what climate you live in. And then, there are Christmas lights to enjoy. The best ones are those someone else puts up.
• Try to make time for family meals. It's a lost art but one that carries value.
• Prioritize your events and scale down, if necessary. A good reminder is: "People are more important than things."
• Allow your family the chance to give to others. It can be fun and will establish valuable memories.
• Spend even more time alone with God. You will maintain your equilibrium in what can be a chaotic time of year.

Christmas should be celebrated. The birth of Jesus is God's greatest gift to mankind. Make worship an important part of your holiday.


Next post: for those who spend the holidays alone and are not busy enough.