The Christmas season is a wonderful time of the year, filled with light- the Light of the World- and all the twinkling lights we use to decorate our homes and trees. When celebrating the birth of Jesus, we fill our schedules with all the activities that make it special- cooking, baking, special events, family traditions, shopping, and decorating. While filled with joy, it can also feel chaotic. For busy women, it can be difficult to keep Christ in Christmas. It doesn’t have to be this way.
“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel- God with us.” Mathew 1:23.
The heart of Christmas time is celebrating the birth of Christ; Emmanuel- God with us. When we purposefully focus on Him, we can swap stress for peace and truly make this time one of spiritual renewal.
Let’s explore some ways to embrace a Christ-centered Christmas, even in the busyness.
Begin with Prayer and Surrender
How can we have a Christ centered Christmas? Instead of relying on our own strength to make it through this time of year, begin by taking to heart the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-29:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gently and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
In what can be a stressful time of the year, it’s so important to rest. God designed us to need rest of all kinds- physical, emotional, and spiritual. And it’s good for you! Rest is vital for reducing stress, improving your mood, a healthier immune system, and increased concentration.
~Write this verse out and place it in a prominent place to remind yourself how to keep yourself at peace. (Your bathroom mirror? The kitchen? On the door you leave from the house?) If we’re not purposeful, the to-do list can take over our lives.
~I was recently felt convicted about mindlessly reaching for my phone each morning before I had spent any time with God. Spend a few moments in prayer first.
Rest in His presence for a bit, asking Him to align your heart with His and to remind you of the true meaning of Christmas.
~Surrender your schedule to Him. Pray over your calendar and give Him permission to edit and rearrange it. Let go of any non essential tasks He convicts you of.
~Don’t let your quiet time slide this time of year. Open your Bible and let Him refresh your spirit!
~Purposefully slow down when things get hectic and worship our incredible Almighty God!
~Spending time outside can be a form of rest; it doesn’t have to be a nap. But if your favorite chair is calling- give it a visit.
~Let go of perfection. Sometimes simple experiences can be more rewarding than the big Christmas celebrations.
~Reflect on the miracle of His birth and His surroundings; what Mary and Joseph must have been feeling. They literally had nothing except each other and the Promised One. And love and awe filled first Christmas.
“The time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and paced him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:6-7.
Surrendering your plans invites God’s peace to replace the pressure.
Simplify Your Commitments
There are so many fun and exciting activities that come with the season. Sometimes we say “yes” too quickly to all the family gatherings, school events, and church programs. Busyness does not equal faithfulness!
~It’s OK to set boundaries. Evaluate what commitments come up and prayerfully decide which ones align with God’s purpose for you this season. It’s OK to say no to things which distract you from Christ. You don’t need a reason to say “no, not this year.”
~Focus on your immediate family by asking yourself which activities will bring your family members closer to Jesus this Christmas.
~Instead of going out, consider a family movie night! Here are some suggestions for some new ones to add to your family’s watch list:
The Shepherd- The Story of the First Christmas by the makers of “The Chosen.” Highly recommend!
10 Christian Movies about the True Meaning of Christmas
Create a Christ-Centered Home
Your home can reflect the peace and joy of Christ even in this busy season. It may only take a few small but intentional changes to keep your family’s focus on Him.
Here are a few easy ways for you to put this concept in practice:
~ It can be as simple as adding His character traits of love, joy, patience, kindness, etc. to our daily interactions. Pick one per day and have your family work on showing it to each other.
~Begin brainstorming by asking your family what traditions mean the most to them. Ask them for ideas on keeping Christ at the forefront of their favorite Christmas activities.
~Observing the advent season as a whole family (the four Sundays leading up to Christmas) keeps our hearts drawn towards God when there are so many things trying to pull us away.
Our family had an Advent wreath, and it was quite popular because it involved taking turns lighting candles (never allowed on a normal day!)There was a devotional reading each Sunday that we discussed in a family age-appropriate way.
Use daily Advent reading plans/calendars and/or devotionals to guide you through the season.
~Play worshipful Christmas music in your home and car that helps us remember God’s love and precious gift. Worship music has a way of calming our spirit and directing our thoughts towards Him.
~We can keep Christ in Christmas while we take part in the experiences we love. Exchanging Christmas presents, putting up Christmas decorations, Christmas music, family time, cookies, and Christmas trees can be done with a focus on Christ and the real reason we are using them as part of our Christmas celebration.
Read and Reflect on the Christmas Story
~Set aside a special time to read the Christmas story in Luke 2:1-20 or Matthew 1:18-2:12. Take turns reading aloud and discuss it together (A family Bible study!)
After reading the story, you can make it interactive by finding Nazareth and Bethlehem on a map in your Bible.
~Put on an impromptu play to reenact the story. Costumes can be makeshift and let them tell the story!
~Use a Nativity scene to help you discuss how the characters in the story might have related to Jesus’ birth. I have also heard of leaving the manger empty until Christmas Day, which brings extra anticipation for celebrating.
You can also gift wrap the Baby Jesus and make it the first gift opened on Christmas.
~Here’s an amazing compilation of books, movies, YouTube videos, and audio versions to help tell the Christmas Story to children of all ages!
https://arynthelibraryan.com/best-christmas-stories-inspire-faith/
Simplify Gift Giving
One of the biggest stressors during the Christmas season is finding just the right gift for the ones we love. What if we shifted our thinking to focus on meaningful gifts instead of material ones?
~Emphasize the greatest gift of Jesus and talk about ways to show His love to others.
~Give from the heart instead of your bank account. Handwritten letters, homemade craft items, and coupons for acts of service are just a few ideas.
~Limit shopping to a few meaningful gifts for those closest to you.
~In the spirit of the 3 Wise Men, some families have adopted the practice of having only 3 presents per child. Or, to celebrate Epiphany (January 6th– recalling the wise men arriving to worship Jesus) some have held back 3 gifts to open on that day.
~Suggest pooling money as a family to buy toys for needy families in your community.
~Do you know a neighbor or elderly friend who could use some yard work done or enjoy a visit and some Christmas treats?
Keeping Christ in Christmas
All the things we love about celebrating the season come from a place of great joy- that God loved us so much He sent us His only Son.
We celebrate with great joy and expectation because we have connected it with the true “reason for the season.” Keeping our focus on Jesus keeps these celebration activities meaningful.
All the things we love about celebrating the season come from a place of great joy- that God loved us so much He sent us His only Son, who would make a way for to have eternal life in Him.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (ESV.)
That long-ago event is central to the lives of over 2 billion Christians living around the world. Jesus is our Savior, and there are a lot of us who celebrate His birth as our greatest gift!
“Keeping Christ in Christmas” is a way of making Jesus an even greater focus in our celebrations and showing the world our beliefs. The world is hurting, and now, more than ever, it needs to hear the message of hope that comes with celebrating Emmanuel- God with us!
The story of Jesus is one of truth, unending hope, and amazing love. No matter what is going on in our world, we celebrate Christmas because it is celebrating the birth of our Savior. It’s important to be intentional in keeping Christ at the forefront of our Christmas season; there is much to draw our attention away from Him.
The pure joy and happiness that comes from adjusting our focus to Jesus is the best gift of all. Let all other aspects of the season fall away and worship our Lord and King!
Blessings!
AnnMarie
Here’s another way to keep Christ in your Christmas: free Cellphone wallpaper! Click on the photo below to access my Resource Page, then scroll through until you access the section for Cellphone Wallpapers.
All Scripture is from the NIV unless specified otherwise.
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