What is Christmas for you?

What is Christmas like for you? Is it a time of peace, family, joy and wonder? Or is it a time of being stressed and frazzled? I believe the latter is the antithesis of what Christmas really is, yet most of us are consumed by it.

To be honest that second description is what comes naturally to me. It is by Christ's grace alone that I can accomplish peace and joy. I admit I do slip up sometimes and let stress take over, but I made a conscious choice to repent and ask the Lord to help me reflect His peace and love.

For my Christmas season to be a source of enjoyment, it does take some preparation and planning. I'd like to share some of the practical ways I do that with you today.

I order my Christmas cards in October (which means I have to have the picture(s) ready in September!). As I blogged about before, I like to take my time filling them out and praying over each one. Knowing I have plenty of time lets me not get stressed, and tackle a few at a time.

I make most of my gifts, and I start early, sometimes even the spring before! I also host parties, Partylite, Pampered Chef etc). By doing this I am able to bless my friends who are consultants, by allowing them to show their products to my friends, and I am also able to use my hostess credit to purchase gifts for friends and family without spending any money. By doing this, Christmas is not a financial hindrance for our family.

We also take the month of December off from schooling so that we have extra  time for seasonal activities (building gingerbread houses, craft projects, baking cookies to bless our neighbors etc) and our Advent Bible study.


I do not over-schedule our time (a practice I abide by all year long). I choose the events we attend carefully, and never feel the need to go to every thing we are invited to. I have no guilt in guarding our time together as a family, and scheduling in time for rest and restoration in God's presence.  At this time of year it is crucial to not neglect your daily habit of spending time in God's Word. If we neglect the reason for the season, what are you really celebrating?