Another year has gone by and here we are with Christmas just 6 weeks away. There can be a lot of emotion surrounding this season of the year. For some there is happiness and excitement……anticipation of good things ahead. For others the dread of to-do lists and unmet expectations. However you may be feeling about the approach of Christmas, I encourage you to take a few minutes this week to reflect on how you want the season to feel.
You do have control you know. You have lots of choices you can make so that you don’t get swept up in the busyness and forget why all of this is happening in the first place. God sent his son Jesus to earth as a baby in a manger. That is at the heart of our celebrations. If we are able to hold that thought close and allow everything else to filter through it then we truly can experience the beauty of the season.
It isn’t wrong to think about decorations, presents, family and food. It is when we allow all of that to overshadow Jesus that we end up feeling run ragged and left unfulfilled.
Take a deep breath and some quiet time. Maybe sit with your journal. Make a cup of tea and light a candle. Cuddle up under a warm cozy blanket and ask Jesus how this year can be different.
Ask Him how to feel hopeful, peaceful and joyful in a world gone crazy. Believe it or not, if we slow down and quiet down He really does want to speak to us. Will you accept the challenge?
Once you have slowed your mind and heart God will share His good plans with you. No doubt it does include some of your favourite things and maybe a few new traditions that will surprise you.
Heart of the Matter wants to come alongside you and encourage you to simplify Christmas in whatever ways you possibly can. During the season ahead we’ll give you a few practical tips each week. Above all though, be gentle with yourself. We pray that God will help you balance your life so that you have the time, energy and inclination to bless others around you while enjoying the season in a new and more meaningful way this year.
Some Christmasy thoughts for this week…..
At a presentation we did last spring we had a gentleman come up to us afterwards and share a Christmas idea that works for his family. He and his wife decided back in 2007 that they didn’t really need “things” any longer and they thought about a way to start a new tradition for their family. That was the year they had started the Red Box Family Tradition.
At that point they had 4 children, 12 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. When they got together at Christmas there was no shortage of family, food and fun! What they decided though was that they were no longer going to have presents and fancy trimmings. Grandpa created a red box with a slot in the top and put it under the Christmas tree. Throughout the day everyone – young and old – was encouraged to slip their donation into the box. Adults were encouraged to think about putting in a donation similar to what they had saved by not buying presents. Kids were taught the meaning of sharing with those less fortunate. After the family celebration each year Grandma & Grandpa add up the total of the money in the box. The gentleman told us that they average almost $2000 per year that they donate to charity. They have found it fun to keep track over the years of the number of wells they have built, the goats they have donated, the school kits they have prepared etc. and celebrate this tally as they continue to choose to look outward rather than inward with their giving.
We tried something different this year for our family gift exchange. I was happy that it was the kids that decided that we don’t need “stuff”. They wanted our giving to each other to be experiential instead. We decided to draw names as couples. The challenge then was to think about something you could plan for the couple you chose that would be a place to go or something to do that would be a fun experience for them. I’ll let you know in January how it all turns out 🙂
I learned from Hayley’s friend Janelle about a name drawing website that they have used for the past few years.
Here is what Janelle had to say….
“My family has used a website to draw names for us for the last couple years because sometimes it’s hard to get everyone together to do it. The one we’ve been using is called drawnames.com. We also use the website for my work gift exchange. I like this one especially because people can add wish lists that their secret Santa can see. You put all your information in for the exchange like the spending limit, date of exchange and email addresses. Then it sends each person the name of who they have to get a gift for. It’s pretty handy. You can even nudge the person you have to add something to their wish list without them knowing it’s you. It’s nice because you don’t have to go back through a ton of texts or find a tiny little slip of paper if you forget who you have. Which I have actually done before… whoops!”
Thanks Janelle. I had never heard of this before, but you can find everything else on the internet, I don’t know why I should be surprised!
Reminder – It’s never too early to start your on-line shopping. Get yourself a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and browse in the comfort of your own home. Ordering early will hopefully help you avoid any disappointment over items not arriving on time.
Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we share organizing tips for
- shopping
- menu planning
- entertaining + lots more!
Christmas Gift Certificates available from Heart of the Matter for YOU (tell your family!) or for a friend or family member. You can opt for ‘hands on’ organizing assistance or a DIY consultation. Check out our package options.
Next week officially kicks off our Season of Giving. We can’t wait to fill you in!!
Food for Thought:
