Like my sis-in-law, I am having a hard time finding the magic of Christmas. I have prayed and tried to get in the spirit with no luck and then I got an e-mail from LDS Living with this article, so I am going to post a few of the ideas they say can make Christmas more meaningful:
1. Forgive someone: we only end up hurting ourselves when we hold onto grudges. Give yourself a gift this holiday season and forgive a person who has wronged you.
2. Take a day off: we often get caught up in the hustle and bustle and forget to enjoy this time of year. So give yourself a day off from shopping, gift-wrapping, and baking. Take a walk and breath deeply the crisp air. Or call a friend and enjoy a leisurely lunch.
3. Write a thank-you note: I'm not talking about a "Thanks for the pink sweater, Aunt Esther," but a from-the-heart letter full of gratitude. Maybe you want to thank your mom for enduring your rebellious adolescence or finally write your third-grade teacher who sparked your love of science.
4. Find a way to serve others: this could be a year-round goal, but we often feel more charitable around this time of year. Do something that you enjoy to help others. Read aloud to an elementary school class. Knit scarves to donate to a homeless shelter.
5. Start a new tradition: this doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive. Make a gingerbread house with your kids. Take a drive to see all the lights in your neighborhood. Go ice skating. Have your kids help you make Grandma's hot fudge recipe.
6. Drink a lot of hot chocolate: nothing beats coming in from a really chilly day and sitting down with a big mug of hot chocolate. Have fun and don't scold your kids when they fill theirs to the brim with marshmallows.
7. Let someone cut in front of you in line: lines at stores can seem to stretch on forever during the shopping season. Notice the stressed-out mom juggling a toddler and an infant, or the elderly gentleman who seem tired from standing so long. Offer to let them move ahead of you in line.
8. Say a prayer solely of gratitude: so often our prayers are full of requests and demands. This is time of thankfulness and we should let that feeling flow into our hearts and prayers.
9. Memorize all the verses of a Christmas Carol: too often we only know the first verse of Christmas songs. Let each child pick their favorite one and work on memorizing all the verses during FHE.
10. Make homemade wrapping paper: use the Sunday comics to wrap gifts or use white paper and have your kids use paint to make their own with their handprints and footprints. Grandma will love it and it's a great way to see how much your children grow each year if you can save a piece for a scrapbook.
11. Focus on the feelings: the holidays have become extremely commercialized and focus is often on spending money. Instead, focus on the spirit you want to have in your home. Come together as a family and discuss ways to bring a spirit of peace into your home.
12. Buy an ornament for each child: have a tradition of giving a new ornament ot each child on Christmas Eve to add to the Christmas tree. By the time your kids are old enough to leave the house and start their own tree, they will have a great collection of ornaments.
13. Ring in the New Year by watching home movies: put some home movies on and leave them running throughout the day. It will remind you of some great times and might also give you some good ideas for activities to do in the upcoming year.
I hope that the holidays will be more meaningful for you all.
3 comments:
There's some good ideas in here. We'll ahve to go through them and see which ones we like.
Thanks, Abby. These are awesome. I will go through them also and see what we can do to make the spirit of Christmas come alive.
There are some great things to think about here. We all need to take the time to enjoy.
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