When the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, ISN'T!

I felt it roll over me when the calendar flipped to November. I was trying to plan a meal with my life group before the end of the year craziness ensued. November 13th , was the last possible date we could meet until January.  I called to make reservations for a Thursday night for five people, the restaurant was already full. "What is happening?" I thought.  It wasn't like I was trying to make a reservation for DECEMBER 13th, but somehow December is rewinding its bossy, insane pace into November.

The day after Halloween, Walmart was packed to the brim with Christmas, Starbucks switched to the holiday cups,  and 98.3 started playing Christmas music. I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I DO! I love so many, many things about it. But every year, I feel the increase of SO MANY expectations threaten to rob us of these VERY sweet moments. I don't want to get to December 26th, and feel like a worn out, drowning rat. I know, I know that might be too much to ask, but a girl has got to at least try.

Over the years, Mark and I have found a few helpful tricks along the way that seem to provide more savoring and less souring during the season.

When the kids were little-little, I came across one of the most BRILLIANT parenting ideas EVER! And my heart just KNEW it was something I wanted to implement with our kids. The idea was to only give each of our children 3 gifts at Christmas; a need, a want, and a book. The idea mimicked the 3 gifts Jesus received from the wise men; gold, frankincense and myrrh. I loved this idea for a million different reasons! One, this naturally has allowed our family more time and space to process and marinate the life altering truth; God came to be with us. He left HIS GLORY to slip on humanity for eternity, so that in doing so He could communicate to our individual hearts this incredible love letter; YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! Each of my children will face loneliness, isolation, pain, betrayal, boredom, and bondage, and I want nothing more than this truth to rise to the top when those waves of despair come knocking.  Two, it was a clear and simple expectation from an early age for our children to KNOW that they would receive 3 gifts from Mark and I each Christmas. Three, it has forced Mark and I to be extremely thoughtful and aware as we purchased each item. We want each gift to be intentional. I have already spent hours thinking about just the PERFECT book to buy each kiddo at the current stage they're in. Katie is totally into biographies, Julia cannot get enough of Jack and Annie, Lucy is loving some science, and Anderson is rocking Dick and Jane. Over the years we've switched "book" for other themes like games.

I cannot tell you how PRECIOUS it has been to experience Christmas this way. While some day my children might sit on a couch and tell their therapist how neglected they were, I can testify that my children have not gone without, their current joy has not been diminished, and their hearts have learned something.

My father-in-law likes to ask my kids each Christmas what they received LAST Christmas, I LOVE THIS! It makes them think, it makes them remember, it makes them TREASURE what was, and was is coming.

I AM FOR GIFTS! I love them!! I think they are such a special way to communicate the way we feel. And I know that I have some readers who love to lavish people with TONS of gifts, and I am SO appreciative of you. I love that about you, and if that's how you choose to do Christmas, YOU GO!

But ten years ago, when that Mama blogged about her idea of 3 gifts, it unlocked a freedom for me that I CHERISH! Today, I'm just blogging my experience, and if it unlocks a freedom for another mama, daddy, grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, cousin, friend then ROCK ON!

But for realz, whatever "it" is, try doing something that maximizes the joy this season and shut down the voices and avenues that suck out the life and meaning of such a glorious season.

~Sara

The Ghost of Christmas Past: Circa 2009