Be Intentional About Your Christmas Season

Merry Christmas! This is my absolute favorite time of year. It has a feel to it. Something indescribable and wonderful. It’s a time to spend with family and enjoy one another. It’s a time to catch your breath and look at life through a different perspective. A happy, joyful perspective.

I think it brings out the best in us. It makes our hearts happy. It brings us closer to our families and other people in our lives. It’s an opportunity for us to give if we choose. I remember as a little girl being so excited to open my presents and spend time with my cousins and other family members. Now I’m a wife and a mom. It’s not about receiving any more. I love to give. I love the looks on my children’s faces when they open something that they were hoping so desperately they would get.

But Christmas isn’t just about giving. There have been years we haven’t done any gifts and spent time together just the four of us. And those years have been just as meaningful.

One of the things I look most forward to with the Christmas season is having my first cup of coffee every morning with just the Christmas tree lights plugged in. No other lights on. It’s peaceful. And calming. It’s the perfect start to my day before the kids wake up and every single thing on my to-do list becomes a priority! And let’s be honest, that’s pretty much how it goes. The season is fun. But it’s busy. Events, shopping, cooking, baking, decorating, vacations – the list goes on and on! Before you know it, the Christmas fun is over, and life goes back to normal. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but let’s discuss ten ways to maximize your Christmas season and make it even more enjoyable!

Focus on Favorite Traditions

What’s your favorite holiday tradition? We have a few at our house. Driving around with hot chocolate looking at Christmas lights is always a must! We have homes in our area that put on quite a show with coordinating music on the radio and everything! It’s so fun and the kids love it. We also always take some time on Christmas Eve to read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible. Those are just a couple of our favorites, I’m sure yours are different.

Perhaps it’s baking cookies, or the joy of watching holiday movies together. Maybe it’s the excitement of decorating the tree with ornaments that hold special memories, or attending a local tree lighting ceremony. Whatever your traditions may be, make sure to find a way to keep them alive. These moments create lasting memories that you and your family will hold onto for years to come.

Try Something New

Traditions are wonderful but don’t be afraid to add in something you’ve never done before. Ask your kids if there’s anything that they been wanting to do. Or do some research and see what activities are offered local. We live just outside of Indianapolis and this year; we are going to the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. I couldn’t be more excited! I have always wanted to go to one and didn’t realize we had one so close to us.

It’s ok to branch out from your normal activities. Perhaps you’ll find something that you love so much that you decide to add it to your yearly traditions!

Traveling

This is a big one for us. Most of our family lives in Michigan so we drive quite a bit. The basic takeaway is plan ahead and be flexible. Sounds slightly contradictory. Unfortunately, no amount of planning ahead will change terrible weather or sickness. So be prepared for plans to change. I speak from much experience. Sickness and weather have forced us to cancel many plans. It’s a bummer. But don’t let it take away your holiday spirit! Plans can usually be rescheduled. And it’s definitely not worth spreading sickness or traveling through dangerous weather!

Protect Your Health

You can’t protect yourself and your family from everything. When you’re in a large group of people, germs are going to spread. Wash your hands. All the time. If family members know they’re sick, encourage them to stay home. Our family has stipulations to this rule. Kids are little germ machines and if we stayed home every time someone had a runny nose or a little cough, we would never get to go anywhere. So use your discretion.

Make Homemade Gifts

This is one of my favorite suggestions. I love getting a homemade gift. Christmas can get very expensive and not everyone has the means to spend all kinds of money on gifts. Homemade gifts not only help with that, they’re also more heartfelt and meaningful! Baked goods, crocheted or knitted items, jarred mixes (hot chocolate, brownies, cookies, etc.), and homemade ornaments are all great options.

Create a Holiday Playlist

Who doesn’t love a little Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra in the background at home? We have an Amazon Music account with several different playlists they we rotate through. Having classic songs such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” playing on shuffle as you either work at home or are just hanging out with the family is timeless. A great Christmas playlist can help keep you relaxed in the midst of the holiday busy.

Plan Early

Plan, plan, and plan some more. You won’t regret this. We plan our budget and calendar both to maximize the season. Every year we always seem to say, “I can’t believe Christmas is next week.” If you can sit down and plan out your spending, time and even travel you will love yourself after Christmas! It’s always helpful to purchase exactly what you want and allow enough time for shipping.

The calendar is a big one because every year I seem to have two or three things I wish I had done but simply ran out of time. I find myself saying “we didn’t even watch a Christmas movie this year” or “I love Christmas lights, but we never seem to have an evening to take a drive.” Plan the budget and calendar ahead of time and make sure all your highest priority things are accounted for, and you won’t regret it, plus you’ll, make some great memories!

Plan for Down Time

You have to be Intentional about working in some relaxation around the holidays. With all the events, work parties, and family commitments, you’ll have whiplash and wake up and it’ll be the first week of January. You need relaxation for both physical and mental rest during the holidays. There is so much going on during the holidays to juggle and haven’t even accounted for crazy cousin Eddie yet.

Stay Present

This is a big one. Make the most of time with family and friends around the holidays. Try your best to be mindful of time spent on electronics, phone, etc. Unplug and enjoy the blessings around you. A lot of people as they get older look back and often say “remember the good ‘ole days.” We are living the future “good ole’ days” now so make sure you are as present as possible.

Have a Christmas Movie Marathon

I love a good Christmas movie! Whether it’s a movie marathon or making a list and knocking one out a couple of nights, this one can be a ton of fun. Enjoy everything from laughs and life’s true purpose as you make your way from Christmas Vacation to It’s a Wonderful Life. Grab the family and a blanket, make some popcorn and press play.

These are just some items to make your Christmas season really meaningful and also maximize your time. If you have a fun tradition or a great memory maker, drop it in the comments below. I’d love to hear more great ideas.