It was the day after Christmas, and my girlfriend had a serious hangover…
Her sweet smile and that little smiley face at the end make light of a heavy complaint: Christmas is hard.
Christmas is hard because we make it hard.
There are this many days left until Christmas, 2014:
In this many days +1, that wrapping paper you so carefully chose and artfully crafted will be in the trash heap. Those too-big, too-small and not-what-I-really-wanted gifts you spent hours shopping for will be piled unceremoniously in the trunk of your car. Recipes you craved for months will be unappetizing leftovers, and if you eat one more cookie even your yoga pants will be too tight.
Before jingle bells jangle your brain and your wallet cries out for relief, let’s pause and remember the Ghost of Christmas Past – and let’s bring the joy back to Christmas.
- Every time you ask your children and grandchildren about their gift list, make sure the conversation includes the true Gift.
- Start each day in December with a Christmas devotional like this or this or this.
- Prioritize people over presents!
Can you skip one cheesy Christmas movie? (I can already tell you how it ends…) Can you spend a little less time wrapping inanimate objects and more time chatting with real people? Can you use that time to do something with your neighbors? If you’re willing to consider the notion, everything you need to get started is right here – including invitations and a Christmas countdown craft.