Christmas… just that one word can bring different thoughts to your mind. It conjures up wonderful memories for some of Christmas past, and yet for others the word would just as soon be erased. Christmas is not about what our society has made it to be. It is about the celebration of our Lord Jesus Christ’s birthday, the day God reached down to earth to bring us to Himself by giving us His Son.
It is with this thought in mind that we as the moms and grandmas are asked to make our Christmas celebrations meaningful and memorable. How do we do that with so much commercialism all around us? Hit the BIG sales for things we think we really need? Stress over how to pay for everything? Try to find time to buy and wrap the gifts, decorate the house and bake all the goodies? We are exhausted by the time Christmas actually arrives! There has to be a better way.
What can we do to relieve the pressure the world puts on us and concentrate on what is important and what really matters?
First, our hearts have to be right with God. We need to focus on Him… after all, it is His Day! Spend time with Him each day and quiet your heart and mind. Let Him speak to you and fill you with peace. Then you can more easily discern what is important and what is not.
Make time for your children and grandchildren. We can get so busy that we run out of our most precious commodity… time! That is what they want more than anything. Make some family traditions that center around playing and laughing together. Bake cookies or some other family treat for the neighbors and get your kids involved in the making and the delivery. Just sit and look at the Christmas lights on the tree and sing carols together or simply talk or be still. Adopt a family to shop for, and get your children involved with the gift list. Focusing on others helps us remember that Christ came to give Himself away. Go caroling with the church and visit our shut-ins. They are so lonely around the holidays and you can bring much joy to them by doing this simple activity.
As wives, mothers and grandmothers, we are the ones that set the tone for our homes. If our families do not see the true meaning of Christmas in our homes, they probably won’t see Christmas at all. So, this year, let’s all stay calm, let Christ’s peace rule in our hearts and take time to be still and hear God’s prompting. This could be the best Christmas yet!
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