It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Last minute Christmas shopping, emergency trips to the grocery store to get that forgotten ingredient for that special family recipe, hours spent wrapping gifts, a delayed packaged ordered online, delayed flights, that person in the parking lot who just stole “your” spot – literally the list could be endless. Without intention, you could very easily forget about the meaning behind Christmas, you could forget about making memories, you could not realize that even if you can’t afford as many gifts this year as last year, the best gifts are family.
This Christmas, try to implement some simple activities into your holiday plans that emphasize the important things of this holiday season. Additionally, try to minimize those activities stressing you out that just might be placing too much of an emphasis on materialistic things anyway. To help you get started, below is a list of simple ideas you can implement in order to insure a very merry Christmas throughout the remainder of this season.
- Be polite to everyone you encounter. It doesn’t matter if they just stole “your” parking spot or picked up the last item on the shelf you needed at the store.
- Invite someone over to help you set up your Christmas tree and/or assist you with wrapping presents. Remember that not everyone is fortunate enough to have family or friends to spend the holiday season with.
- Implement some type of activity where your family gives back together to the community.
- Encourage your children to be givers by giving a gift to a child in an impoverished country.
- Discuss with your family the most meaningful gift(s) they have given and received.
- Invite someone to share in your Christmas dinner who might not be able to afford their own.
- Make a special, simple gift for people who you see regularly but don’t normally get gifts for e.g. your pastor, or neighbor. Some years, my family would get a little surprise gift for our mailman.
- Attend church on Christmas Eve. A candlelight service is really special, and can especially have a big impact on kids.
- Carry the generosity and sharing attitude over into the New Year. Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year…, right?
