Ways to Keep Focused on Christ this Christmas
The energy shifted in Church this week as my pastor held up a decorative box, pulled the lid off, and told us that too many people in society were just like this box. Decorated on the outside, but breezing through Christmas empty on the inside.
I looked around at the other nodding heads, saw some sheepish looks, and really felt that comment in my soul.
There is always so much happening, period. We say things like, "This is a busy season."
I hear that a lot throughout the year. I hear it in September when everyone runs around for back-to-school time. I hear it again for football/ soccer/ baseball season. I hear it every holiday. I hear it every spring break. I hear it every May when graduation season blooms. I hear it every summer.
Depending on who you are and the circumstances of your life, any given moment can be the "busy season."
The Christmas season has become commercialized; every Christian would likely agree. Shelves are full of the Grinch and Santa instead of the Nativity Scene. The shiny baubles call to us from every which way. "Buy me," they scream at us. And we do.
We seek moments where we catch glimpses of the "true meaning of Christmas," but more often than not, we move through the month purchasing, wrapping, and planning.
I am so guilty of all of it.
Even as much as I've aligned my lifestyle post burnout and worked to create a much calmer daily routine for myself and my family... I am guilty of these very things this very year. I did a much better job last year of walking through December in a gentle, unhurried way.
As my pastor stood up there holding that pretty empty box, I couldn't help but see myself in it this year.
My home is decorated gently; there isn't too much clutter. There are a lot of Nativity Scene's. We created our Christmas "must-do" list, which included going to see the lights on Jekyl Island, drinking hot cocoa, watching a pretty stellar list of Christmas movies, and making gingerbread. I started the tradition of creating a December list to allow us time to slow down, connect, and reflect together as a family.
This year, though, I've been squeezing those things between the other "stuff." We pray every day. We thank God every day. But this year, we got sucked into the empty box. Luckily, I realized this earlier this week and took immediate action to get us back on track.
Want to join me in focusing on Christ this Christmas? It is, as we've discussed, a busy season. It's a difficult time to add in more "to do's," isn't it? What if we could look around and take a moment to make a connection between the birth of Jesus and the things around us?
Here are some practical ways we can do it:
The Nativity Story
Lots of Christians around the world are reading Luke during the month of December. Reading about the birth of Jesus is a wonderful way to connect with God's presence during this season.
"But, M.J., Christmas is next week!" Yes, I know.
I love a good Christmas movie, don't you? In case reading through the entire book of Luke seems too daunting at this point, try checking out one of these options:
The True Story of the Nativity, streaming on Amazon Prime
Veggie Tales: The Little Drummer Boy (2011), streaming on Amazon Prime
Joseph and Mary (2016), streaming on Amazon Prime for a fee
Angel Studios is also offering a great deal now if you want to join their streaming service with a ton of christian movies and shows.
Finding movies where you can connect the lessons you watch to God's word can help keep our focus on the true spirit of Christmas.
Connecting Santa to Jesus
For homes that discuss Santa with the kids. Here is an awesome opportunity to connect this character with god's love.
Santa, as it is popularly referred is actually derived from Saint Nicholas, a saint that lived in the 4th century. Saint Nicholas walked closely with Jesus everyday with his generous and charitable works. He took his entire family fortune and used it to help those in need.
The way Saint Nicholas lived his life shows us a prime example of generosity in action. Saint Nicholas gave good gifts though it had nothing to do with the latest toy, holiday frenzy, or giant mounds of gifts under a tree. His heart was centered on Christ Jesus and he lived his life with a great love for doing good for others. His spirit of giving is part of what this season is all about.
The Lord gave the greatest gift he had, his son Jesus Christ, to us as a human sacrifice for us all. His abundance of giving is something we don't always see during this time, as our focus is on the birth of our Savior, Jesus. It's because of his sacrifice that he is our Savior. And it is because of the this generous gift of God that we have the opportunity to celebrate this most wonderful time of the year.
If the littles in your home are focused on Santa, help them see the connection to the Lord during this time.
Christmas Shopping
Even the smallest of eyes notices us all trying hard to think of others as we shop. I was watching the 1970's Santa Claus is Coming to Town last night and they mention "a token of my affection." How often do we think of the meaning behind those words as we shop? It really should be a significant token of our affection instead of a mad dash to put a mound of toys under a tree.
The Lord took time to think through the token of his affection that he sent as the most valuable present to us all. He didn't need to send 20 things down here, just one bespoke, indescribable gift of his affection for us all.
While we are out and about looking at those shiny baubles, we can easily lose sight of this, can't we? I know I have, and can. Let's try to focus on this more. If we want to take it one step further, we can help our children see this connection as well.
Christmas Carols
Yes, Christmas carols abound from every speaker, everywhere... or so it seems. But did you know that there is a lot more Christ-centered Christmas music than you may think? I didn't either.
I started searching for some this year and was wonderfully surprised. I've put together a playlist of some that I really enjoy. There are some traditional songs on here, but also some that may pleasantly surprise you (hopefully). Feel free to grab the playlist here.
Christmas Tree
Who doesn't love gathering around the Christmas tree? From awesome parties with friends to gentle nights, I never tire of looking at our Christmas tree. There is actually some cool information about the history of Christmas Trees.
Something I love to do, but it totally got lost in the shuffle until my pastor re-aligned my focus this week....have conversations around the tree that connect the symbol before us with the Lord above us.
What if we all took some quiet time to discuss the connection between the Christmas tree and the crown of thorns Jesus wore at his death? Or the lights and how Jesus is the light of the world.
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12 ESV
We love sitting by the tree with only the tree lights on and maybe some soft candles throughout the living space. We talk about Christmas memories we've created, and we express our gratitude to the Lord for those moments and the people we shared them with. This year, we breezed past this and totally forgot to even think about it.
It's something that doesn't take a lot of time and is easy to add at the end of your day. Give it a try with your own family, and let us know how you like it! We'll be doing it tonight and every night between now and Christmas Eve.
Candy Canes
Have you ever noticed that the shape of the candy cane is more than just something cool that hangs on the tree? It looks an awful lot like the Shepards Staff, doesn't it?
Or flip it upside down, and you have yourself a J for Jesus.
The red stripes remind us of Jesus's blood, which he shed for us all.
The white reminds us that our sins have been wiped clean through the Lord's ultimate, perfect sacrifice.
Once I heard this put to me in this way, I never quite looked at a candy cane the same way again. They are, in fact, bigger than Christmas decorations or something that really elevates hot cocoa.
Such a simple thing to keep in mind to help us connect in a much more meaningful way. And that is what I think this time is all about.
I don't know about you, but I want to change the narrative that fills my head each year. I don't want it to be the most stressful time of the year. I want it to be the most connected time of the year. I want to see a social media platform flooded with connections to Christ's birth and our daily lives. I want to remember the first Christmas and the sacrifice that came with it.
We all know that the true reason for this time of year is the God-given, God-created miracles that took place for us all. In the midst of Christmas craziness, let's usher in Christmas connection instead.
