10 WAYS TO DO CHRISTMAS DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR

Are you tired of doing the same things each Christmas? Do you want to shift the focus from getting to giving? Are you in danger of losing the true meaning of the season? Why not try one of these ten ways to do Christmas differently this year?

This week, I want to get more practical and give you ten ways you can do Christmas differently this year to embrace the true meaning of the season. Do not feel like you have to do all ten, and feel free to come up with some of your own, but this is a list I have been compiling over the past several years. If you are looking for even more ideas, I have many more listed in my Advent devotional and a list of books, movies, and songs that can help you prepare for the season.

Adopt a child or family for Christmas.

My family has done this both locally and globally for the past several years, and it has been an excellent way for us to take the focus off of our gift lists and think about those who may not get anything for Christmas unless someone steps up and provides it for them. We have fun shopping for the items on the list together and delivering the gifts to those who live nearby. It is a great way to put focus on giving instead of getting.

Make the Nativity a focal point in your home.

When my kids were little, we had the “don’t touch” beautifully displayed Nativity and two interactive Nativities they could play with and use to help retell the Christmas story. We had scavenger hunts looking for the hidden baby Jesus and used the figurines to act out the Christmas story. We even used items from the “dress-up box” to put on our own Christmas pageant. Making the Nativity a natural and fun part of your Christmas traditions keeps the holiday centered on Jesus.

Gather a group of family and friends and go caroling at a nursing home, hospital, or shelter.

Every Christmas, my parents did this with our family and a group of friends, and I have fond memories of the smiles, laughter, and cheer a little singing brought to those who were lonely, sick, or unable to leave their homes. It doesn’t matter if you can sing or not…or even if you know all of the words! Remember this great quote from the movie Elf: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

Host a birthday party for Jesus.

Your kids do not have to be little to do this! Even when my kids were in high school and college, we still got a cookie cake and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. How many of us would go to a birthday party without knowing who the person is or show up without a gift? Yet, many forget that Christmas is a time to celebrate Christ’s birthday. If your kids are younger, this is a fun tradition to start with friends or neighbors. Do a birthday theme and collect gifts to give to a local shelter or hospital. Grown children and adults can discuss what gifts they can give to God in the coming year.

Set aside one hour weekly to slow down and reflect on the season.

Make yourself a cup of hot cocoa, coffee, or tea and listen to Christmas music or watch a Christmas movie. Take a brisk walk through your neighborhood or town and look at the lights and decorations. Read a Christmas book yourself or with your children snuggled under a warm, soft blanket.  Do not miss the little joys of the season because you are moving too fast.

Pray over your Christmas cards.

Collect all the Christmas cards and keep them in a bin or basket in your kitchen or family room. Draw one card daily from the basket and include that person or family in your prayer time before dinner or bed. Talk about what those people mean to you and how you can keep praying for them in the coming year.

Begin a daily list of “unexpected gifts” from now through Christmas.

Notice the little things each day bring by keeping an “unexpected gifts” journal from now until Christmas. If doing this as a family, put a jar in your kitchen and encourage everyone to write their gifts on slips of paper (secretly) and place them in the jar. Before opening your presents on Christmas morning, pass around the jar and read about each gift. This is a creative way to focus on our daily blessings and not just the tangible gifts we receive on Christmas.

Practice random acts of kindness.

When you are out and about and see someone stressed or frazzled because of the Christmas chaos, do something kind for them. Help carry their packages to their car, buy them a cup of coffee, or offer to pay for one of their items. If you are ordering most of your Christmas gifts online, think about the people who will be delivering all of those packages. Leave a basket near your front door and fill it with water bottles, snacks, and sweet treats. If we want to see more Christmas spirit, we must proactively show it to others.

Show gratitude to those who serve you daily.

Think of the people who pick up your trash, drive your kids to school on the bus, teach or coach them, or check you out in the grocery store, pharmacy, or bank.  Christmas is super hectic for them as well. Many of them work long extra hours so that we can celebrate with our families. Why not encourage them with a homemade treat, gift card, or other gesture to let them know they are appreciated?  Christmas is also a good time to remember our police, firefighters, EMS workers, doctors, nurses, and military. Many of them give up their holidays to serve us!

Feed your heart, mind, and soul.

Take time to seek solitude and get alone with God. Read devotionals, poems, and stories that highlight the joy, peace, and generosity of Christmas. Meditate on the words of Christmas carols. Spend time with people who uplift and encourage you. Let go of having the “perfect Christmas” by setting boundaries and learning to say no. Take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to give to others without guilt or resentment.

SHARE HOW YOU DO CHRISTMAS DIFFERENTLY

I pray that at least one of these suggestions will help you do Christmas differently this year! If you have other ideas, please list them in the comment section below. I want to learn and grow from you too!

Another way to prepare your heart, mind, and soul for the Christmas season is to go through my Advent Devotional: Have Yourself a Mary Little Christmas. Advent, or the beginning of the Christmas season, should bring a spirit of anticipation, expectation, and longing. But many of us experience the opposite: anxiety, stress, and disappointment! Use this four-week devotional to return to the biblical account of the first Christmas and learn from a woman whose faithfulness and humility teach us how to prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for the season. HAVE YOURSELF A MARY LITTLE CHRISTMAS includes weekly readings, reflective questions, and practical action steps for the whole family, plus a resource guide of books, movies, and music to help make your celebration meaningful!