40 ways to keep Christmas simple and meaningful

November 25 2003 | by

“IT’S THE SAME every year. As soon as I flip the calendar over to December it’s much like opening the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby. I’m off for the Christmas race - there is shopping, baking, wrapping, mailing. This is the month when I track and attend recitals, school plays, church concerts, work parties. By the time it’s all over, all I’m left with is an exhausted spirit, frayed nerves, and a worn out body. Is the mad dash to the Christmas finish line really worth it?”
Many can identify with that holiday lament which comes from a woman who lives in a major mid-western city. On the one hand, Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, peace and goodwill. But on the other hand, the planning and preparation can be intimidating and overwhelming. For too many people, Christmas becomes a burden and not a blessing. Yet, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 40 ways to keep Christmas simple and meaningful.

Remind yourself of the reason for the season. Luke’s gospel reports: “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11, New International Version). It is the birth of Christ which must be the central focus and foundation for all activities in December.
Plan ahead. Rather than operate on automatic, doing the same thing year after year, be intentional. Gather your family and ask everyone what they really want to do and who’s going to do it. A little planning can go a long way to reducing holiday stress.
Spend five minutes daily in silence. “Be still and know that I am God,” is the command of Scripture. (Psalm 46:10) Spending a mere five minutes a day in silence before God can bring you closer to the spirit of Christ.
Avoid debt. A major source of frustration is the accumulation of debt brought on by Christmas gift giving. Resist the temptation to “charge it” unless you can totally pay off the credit card at the next payment cycle. Rather than go into debt, keep gift giving small and simple. It is, after all, the thought which counts.
Claim the spirit of the innkeeper. Be inspired by the one who opened his heart and stable to help Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary. (Luke 2:7) Like the innkeeper, help someone who is in a difficult place during the season.
Feed your mind. Check into the background of some Christmas symbols - candles, evergreens, poinsettia, mistletoe, the advent wreath. You’ll be surprised at what you didn’t know about Christmas.
Rethink your habits. Is it really necessary for you to mail out 350 holiday cards? Prune your mailing list by dropping people you haven’t heard from in two or more years. That will save you time and money.
Organize yourself. Make a list of all the things you need to do. This will help you budget your time. If it looks like it’s too much - and it probably is - pare the list down to something more manageable.
Cultivate courtesy. Be especially kind and courteous to sales personnel. Often they are tired and tense because of their long hours and impatient customers. Speak kindly and courteously to them. They will feel better and so will you.
Extend compassion to a stranger. Gladly let someone get ahead of you in a store line, especially if that person looks like he’s had a bad day. On a bus or subway, readily give up your seat to a person carrying many packages.
Memorize some Scripture. There are many beautiful expressions connected to the birth of Christ. Focus on those and memorize some of them. Some of my favourites include these words of Mary: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:46-47) ; the praises of the angels: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men … ” (Luke 2:14).
Just say ‘no’. Decide it’s okay to say ‘no’. You don’t have to accept every invitation. Say ‘no’ to give yourself some downtime.
Cut down your gift giving. As the years go by, often our list of people to buy for grows and grows. Ask yourself: “Do I absolutely have to give a gift to everyone from neighbours to employer to postal carrier to child’s teacher?”
Start earlier in order to relax later. One man who loves to bake at holiday times shares this wisdom: “I begin baking right after Thanksgiving and into the first week of December. I freeze my delicacies and take them out later in the month for entertaining in my home or as gifts to friends and family. By doing some of the work earlier, I end up with more discretionary time at the height of the season. That has cut down on a great deal of holiday stress.”
Exercise. A lot of frustration and weight gain during the holidays can be avoided by maintaining a regular exercise regimen. Go to a gym, jog, mall walk early in the morning before work or take the kids sledding (and join them going up and down the hill).
Don’t become a slave. Rather than doing it all yourself and spending the entire day in the kitchen preparing for your big, elaborate family meal, ask for some help. Don’t do it all alone. By allowing others to pitch in and help, you make the family celebration fun and relaxing for everyone.
Try new ways of sending Christmas greetings. You can save a lot of time and money by using Christmas postcards rather than the more expensive Christmas cards. Or, consider sending this year’s Christmas newsletter and good wishes via e-mail to your family and friends who are hooked up to the internet.
Send a card to someone incarcerated. “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners,” is the reminder of Scripture. Contact the chaplain of an area prison to get some names and addresses. Let them know you are thinking of them and praying for them.
Drink more water. The holiday season is filled with drinks which dehydrate the body - hot chocolate, gourmet coffees, sodas. They also add unwelcome calories. Be sure to consume more and more water. Your body will thank you and your waist line won’t expand as much.
Light a prayer candle every day. In the privacy of your home, light a candle each day or evening. Whenever you see the flame, let it remind you to offer a prayer on behalf of someone who is sick, hurting or struggling in some way.
Skip a meal. A few times during December, skip a meal. This simple fast will be a strong reminder of what it feels like for many people who have to go without food.
Be considerate toward young children. Although Christmas is often most enjoyed by children, there are many infants and young children who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in poor circumstances. Consider donating baby food, diapers, clothing to a local organization which serves children and families in need.
Reflect on Philippians 4:4. That verse reminds us to rejoice in the Lord always. Ask yourself what are the blessings which you have enjoyed that day. Thank God for them.
Let the circumstances of Jesus’ birth inspire you to help other infants. Remember that Jesus was born in a stable without many comforts which other families enjoyed. Donate baby food, diapers, clothing to a local organization which serves families in need.
Go vegetarian for one meal. In many countries around the world it is customary to have a meatless Christmas eve dinner. This is done in remembrance and honour of the animals present at Jesus’ birth. They too shared in the joy of Christ’s coming.
Give thanks. Everything you have is a gift from God - your life, your family, your job, your faith.
Practice patience. The holidays offer many opportunities to practice patience. Relax and be patient when the traffic is slow, the lines long, the service poor, the clerk rude. Remember that patience is a biblical virtue: “Love is patient,” wrote the apostle. (I Corinthians 13:4)
Live out the fruit of the spirit. Saint Paul reminds us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22) Live out and extend these virtues to every person you encounter through the holiday season.
Make amends. Reach out to someone who’s wronged you or someone you have offended. Forgive and let yourself be forgiven. The chances are good that both of you will feel much, much better.
Broaden your concept of ‘family’. Be extremely inclusive at Christmas. Include (in your family festivities and gatherings) those who can’t be with their own families or who may not have a family to visit. Be especially sensitive to those who are single, widowed or living alone.
Sing. It doesn’t matter whether you can carry a tune or not, whenever you hear a carol played on the radio in your car, sing along. When you’re in a mall and holiday music is played, hum along. Music is a tonic for a fatigued intellect and a stressed spirit.
Read about the original Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas was famous for helping the poor and reaching out to children. Visit a library and read about this remarkable man who became Santa Claus.
Pray for peace in the world. Sadly, many conflicts continue to rage around the world. Think about a country where there is war and pray for that nation that peace will come.
Give a gift of money. One man practices this interesting and inspiring personal custom. Each year he gives a gift of cash to three people who have been laid off from their jobs. He has done this for twenty years now and, therefore, has brightened the lives of 60 people through his generosity.
Cultivate joy. In the midst of great holiday activity, pause to take in joy. To do this, simply become more aware of your surroundings. “Look around and you’ll see how the flowers, trees, squirrels and stars all emanate delight in their being,” say Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat in their book Spiritual Literacy. “The flowers give off a fragrance, the trees dance a samba for the breeze, the squirrels perform acrobatics, and the stars twinkle with glee.”
Be cheerful. Let yourself be the first one to wish everyone you meet a hearty “merry Christmas!”
Help fight world hunger. During the holiday season when most of us tend to overeat, consider giving away ten percent of your holiday party budget to an agency which fights world hunger.
Pray for each person who sends you a card. Christmas cards often contain news about the senders. That information is good material for the basis of prayer. Offer prayers of praise for those who report accomplishments and prayers of help for those who experience illness and tragedy.
Read a Christmas poem. There are many wonderful poems written about Christmas. Find some. Then read and reflect on the message they convey.
Remember that Christmas is not only a date but a state of mind. Add meaning to your holiday celebration by keeping the spirit of Christmas alive all year long. Live by this wisdom from Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you.”

Updated on October 06 2016