Several families on my street put up their Christmas lights before Thanksgiving. I’m sure it’s because they’re trying to give others a little cheer—and it does make me smile as I drive past.
Because this year has been so unusual and stress-filled, we’re ready to embrace the Christmas season with gusto. However, we may need to curb our normal spending habits due to less income. Or we might just want to be more intentional about our celebration.
Making it simple appeals for many reasons, but doesn’t make it less festive or meaningful! Consider these 8 ways to fully enjoy your Christmas this year:
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Many families have some things they do every year as they celebrate Christmas. These traditions become markers of our past—and often we hand them down through generations.
In chaotic, uncertain times, carrying out the same rituals as in previous years helps lend a sense of stability. But sometimes traditions get lost over time. These are the ones we treasure even more when remembered and renewed with younger folks.
Did you grow up in a family that placed a fresh piece of straw in the manger each day leading up to Christmas? Do you own the creche passed down through generations? Did your family sing certain hymns as carols—either at church or in the yards of friends and neighbors?
Was Christmas Eve the time your family gathered to read Luke 2 and put on your matching pj’s? Did your parents load everyone in the car to drive around and view Christmas lights? Maybe baking Christmas cookies and candy with your mother and siblings was your favorite activity.
Whatever traditions you remember, this is a good year to resurrect at least one that may have slipped away.
When our children were elementary-aged, we conducted a Bible search for all the names of Jesus. They printed His names on strips of red and green construction paper and then stapled them together into a chain that we hung on the tree.
A few years ago, I printed Jesus’s names down the lengths of wide satin ribbons with glitter markers. We used these as runners with our other dining table decor. I still have those ribbons somewhere...
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Is there something you’ve noticed other families do that you like, but have never incorporated into your own celebration? Make it happen this year. Maybe you have a new family member—a baby was born, a child adopted, or someone got married.
Adding something from a new in-law’s traditions can make them feel special and welcomed. We have two grandbabies celebrating their first Christmases this year. Choosing a Bible verse to pray over each of them throughout the coming year is an important tradition for me.
Watching the 9 month-old and his 2 year-old brother play with my crocheted nativity figures will be a special addition to Christmas Eve.
When we dial back the dollars spent on gifts and decor, we can more easily focus on the original meaning of Christmas. Remembering the slogan“Jesus is the Reason for the Season” points us in the right direction because words help—but actions make the difference.
What can we do to remember the reason? Find a devotional book, or look online, for a series devoted to the Christmas story. Beginning each day with Scripture puts everything else in perspective.
If you don’t already conduct family devotions at supper—or even eat supper together—the month of December is a great time to start!
An advent calendar is a wonderful tool. Make one from the pretty fronts of old Christmas cards. On the plain side, write a Bible verse and one small activity. A friend of mine suggests things like :
Stack the cards in a pretty basket and set it on your dining table. At a meal, choose a card and read the verse. Talk about it and pray together. Then read and complete the activity before choosing the next card another day.
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I love a good scavenger hunt. This year, going outdoors might be the best way to enjoy the fullness of the season.
Breathe deep in the fresh air. Search for evidence of God’s love and care. The area where you live might be filled with natural winter beauty, and that will make this exercise easy. But the Great Plains—where I live—hides its treasures this time of year. I’ll make a list including:
What will be on your list?
Crafting new items out of old was a “thing” before 2020, and has exploded in popularity for many reasons—not the least of which is saving money. Turn that old bucket into a chic planter or reuse it to hold firewood. You can even transform everyday items into Christmas ornaments.
I’m thinking about setting up a “teacup tree” this year. I have some old china teacups that I will hang from satin ribbons on a sturdy-branched artificial tree. Silver teaspoons will add shine—almost like icicles. Mine are full-sized, but the miniature set a friend of mine owns would be fantastic hung on a tree.
Natural elements add beauty and fragrance and can often be discovered in our own yards—or at least nearby. I still have the gumball that my preschool son painted silver and strung with a red ribbon as an ornament. Who doesn’t love the sight and smell of clove-studded oranges gathered in a wood bowl and fresh-baked goodies on a platter?
My mother played the piano, and every year at Christmas, she pulled out her favorite sheet music for the season. She placed it on the piano’s music rack along with a sprig of greenery as a decoration. Following her love of music, she painted carolers on the large windows beside our front door.
This year I will display her childhood creche made from papier mache on the antique secretary I also inherited from her.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Joseph Gonzalez
There are many ways to decorate for Christmas without buying anything at all. But dollar stores can help you imitate high-end items for much less. Check out expensive retailers and find your favorite pieces.
Examine the photos and decide what the item’s basic elements are—then shop your local dollar store for them. Keep a sharp eye out for possible substitutions, and most of the time you can come pretty close to the original, expensive look for a fraction of the price.
Elements of worship such as singing, Scripture reading, and praying can be done at home if your local area restricts church gatherings. But if you can at all, worship in person with other believers. It will make this Christmas season more meaningful.
Jesus says in Matthew 18:20 that when two or more are gathered in His name, He will be there. He comes in the person of the Holy Spirit and breathes fresh life into those present.
The more people, the more powerful His presence grows—because He is in each one.
Whatever your circumstances, gathered with many people or by yourself, worship is still the key. The Bible speaks to individuals as well as groups, and our prayers can be said alone or in agreement with others.
Singing expresses our adoration of Jesus Christ on a deeper level—so be sure to join in, no matter the “quality” of your voice. If you’re alone, crank the music up to full volume and let it wash over you—as if you were hearing it live—and sing along.
The Christmas story is not just a story—it is a living truth. Sharing that truth with our friends and neighbors can offer them the same dose of hope it brings to you. And that’s the most fulfilling thing of all.
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