5 Ways to Make This Christmas the Best Time of Year

Such practical and healthy ideas to make this season a success from my friend, Lucille Williams. You can get more great ideas at her website Lusays.

The Christmas season is magical. Who doesn’t like a good Hallmark movie? It can take us to Magic Land where everything turns out peachy and keen. Always a happy ending. People always work out their differences. Everyone is happy in the end. I think that’s why I like those feel-good movies so much. I like being ushered into fantasy world where all turns out dreamlike.

Perhaps this season brings hurt and pain for you. If you’ve lost a loved one around this time of year the sting of the loss can be excruciating.

Perhaps this season brings more family conflict. This can cause us anxiety and heartache.

Perhaps this season brings reminders that you’re not as close to people you love as you’d like to be. This pain can cause loneliness and sadness.

We all experience different feelings around this time.

What are some ways we can enjoy the season and enjoy the people we love? I’d like to offer you five suggestions…

5 Ways to Make This Christmas the Best Time of Year:

1. Take care of you. We all need different things to help us feel whole and thriving. What is it that you need? Identify what brings you joy and fiercely pursue it. Are there certain people who bring a smile to your face. Reach out to them and set up time you can enjoy each other. Is there a particular dish or dessert which bring you joy? Make it just for you. Do you need time alone? Schedule it. Ask yourself, “What do I need in this season?” and do it.
2. Prioritize what’s most important. Sit down and make a list of the things you need to get done. Does everything on your list really need to happen? Then look over your list and identify the absolute top things you absolutely have to make happen during this season.
3. Get it done. Once you identify your absolute list, tackle it. Tackle it like a linebacker and make it happen. Get it done.
4. Focus on the Savior. We can get so busy during this time that we can forget to add Jesus to our festivities. Schedule time to be with God. Maybe take a prayer walk? Gather with friends just to pray. Attend a Bible study. Read a book that will encourage you spiritually. Read your Bible in front of a fire. Go online and find and listen to a sermon by your favorite preacher. Take time to praise our Savior. Worship with music and prayers.
5. Express gratitude. Thankfulness cancels out strife. We have blessings all around us and we just need to look around and accept them. When we spend our time giving thanks and being grateful it’s difficult to find room for anything else. Begin each day with five things you are grateful for. Start a gratitude journal and add to it daily.

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

-Meister Echkhart

This article first appeared here.