The REAL Reason For The Season

It's officially CHRISTMAS TIME!! Joy to the world! Most of us wait all year long for the month of December, so that we can partake in anything and everything festive. The Christmas parties, decorations, presents, Christmas movies, traveling to see family, holiday baking, Christmas music, etc. ...we pack it ALL into just a few short weeks. It's all so exciting until we start listing out everything that needs to be done during the holiday season and suddenly a sense of urgency and anxiety creeps in as we try to figure out exactly HOW we will be able to get everything done in a timely fashion.

This description may not fit you, but it most certainly describes me. I tend to get overwhelmed easily and the festive things soon become this dreaded To Do List. There's so much going on in my life at the moment including buying a house, moving, Josh's seminary finals, packing, buying presents, making food for Christmas parties, figuring out holiday plans, my brother moving, and so much more. Adding in the holidays to my already hectic schedule soon became a drag instead of the joyous time it should be. I felt like everything had to be perfect to make this Christmas a success. I was feeling so bombarded by the To Do List that I was losing sight of what really mattered. Christmas isn't about checking off the list. It isn't about making sure everyone has the perfect gift or making the most delicious holiday food to bring to the parties. It isn't about making your house the most festive and having the best decorations. It isn't about not having the time to do a Christmas card this year like I wanted or not having our decorations up because we are in between homes. None of that matters. It's about Jesus. His birth and the hope He brought to the world. It's about us celebrating that this season and being thankful that God sent His only Son to Earth to be our Savior. It's as simple as that.

All of the Christmas chaos can be boiled down to that one thing: Jesus, the light of the world. It's difficult to do, but I challenge you and myself to keep this holiday season simple. We don't need the presents, lights, decorations, or food to make this season special and perfect in its own way. Don't get bogged down by all of the things that you want to do or feel like you should be doing this Christmas season. It's okay if we don't have the perfect Pinterest Christmas like we may feel pressured to. Remind yourself of the REAL reason for the season. Focus on the coming of Jesus, spending time with family and friends, and showing others the true meaning of Christmas in your speech and actions. Once I do that, all of my worries float away and I am overwhelmed with joy and peace, remembering how wonderful this season of Advent really is.