December To Remember
There is something special about December.
There is no denying that December is one of the most wonderful months of the year. Yes, Autumn is stunning. Summer, quite fun. And Spring is oh-so-sweet. But December, oh December; you are quite a treat!
That being said, here are some ways we can make the most out of the season:
Don’t let the small things bother you - The holidays can be a very stressful time. But we don’t have to let that get to us. If we simply remember that certain things are out of our control and that we can choose how upset we get over them, then we are bound to have a way less stressful season. If we let things roll off our back, we will have a joyous season and make great memories rather than stressful ones. Not to mention, things can really quite funny when you look at them from another perspective. So why stress when we can laugh?
Plan in advance - Speaking of stress, another thing that can cause chaos during the holiday season is not planning. You know what they say; “fail to plan, plan to fail”. This is absolutely true in my opinion. Because when we go with the wind, we never really know what is going on. Which can be disastrous and not at all fun. To not know what is going to be on the agenda might seem like no big deal, but if no one knows what is going on, chances are nothing will get done. It certainly won’t be the magical, wonderful Christmas we envisioned because we did not write this vision down! When we write things down and make a plan, we tend to see it through. That’s not to say we will be tyrants, with the help of our families, we will plan a wonderful holiday season. Make a bucket list of things you wish to do. With a plan you will surely succeed. Put this plan somewhere safe, I do have some fun planners for under $20 here. But even a notebook or binder will do!
Partake in advent - Whether you go a more traditional or modern route with this, this is a great way for Christians to get into the swing of the season. Traditionally it is celebrated as a time to prepare for the coming of Christ. Specific Bible readings are done and its a sweet time of preparation for our Lord and Savior. These days, advent can be seen by most as a countdown to Christmas. Thought it is a lot more than this, one can certainly blend the two, instead of toys, chocolate, makeup or what have you. Maybe add a Bible reading in there (OK and maybe a piece of chocolate or two) leading up to the Bible reading of the birth of Jesus. This can be an exciting way to get little children ready, eager and excited for the real meaning of Christmas. I will link some Christian resources that explain about the advent in the resource area at the end of this post.
Remember the reason - Speaking of the real meaning of Christmas, remember the reason for the season. Why are we even celebrating Christmas ? It’s not to get a bunch of gifts! Think of that very special reason you are celebrating this holiday. Keep that in mind all throughout the season for a more fun and meaningful time.
Sing, dance, laugh - If you want to have fun during this Christmas season, don’t forget to laugh, and dance, and sing. Be light-hearted and merry. Let’s not take ourselves too seriously. Whether we have two left feet, two right feet, or anything in between; dancing can liven up anything. Not to mention it is super fun. Also sing! Make a joyful noise, sing a merry tune! No one can remain grumpy while singing happy songs. Oh and laughing, laugh so much! Let’s laugh about anything and everything, it’s good for us!
Traditions galore - To make this holiday season extra special, have traditions, traditions are something so special we get to do with our families. They can even get passed down from generation to generation. It makes our family unique and more connected to one another. My family does a Christmas Talent show every year and it’s so much fun. It’s just a silly talent that we perform (yes even the babies) and its super cute, fun and hilarious! At the end we all perform the nativity scene together it is so special. This year we started a fun Christmas calendar tradition. Each day, we do a special Christmas activity! This one is too fun to not share so I made a whole video about how to do it, you can follow along here. And I have included a free downloadable calendar you can use right here.
Stay out of debt - Finally, if you wish to have great memories and no regrets this holiday season, please, please, stay out of debt! It is absolutely crucial. Best holidays doesn’t mean most expensive. When we are 100 years old we will not remember how many things we bought on Christmas, but rather how we felt. Our children, when they are with their children’s children will definitely not be thinking how much Christmas cost and how wonderful it was. They will most likely be remembering the wonderful time spent with family and the traditions. Remember, that is priceless! Let’s make a budget and stick to it. I highly encourage everyone to not use any debt this (or any) holiday season. If we don’t, in January we won’t be met with a bill. Not to mention we are teaching are family that material things (or even expensive experiences) are not worth than piece of mind and financial freedom. And, they can carry that with them to their children and their children’s children. It doesn’t matter what we saw growing up. Change can start with us. It’s better to have a cozy (paid for in cash) Christmas. Than an extravagant Christmas that will leave us, or finances, and our family stressed for months. If you want to know how to save money this holiday season while still having fun check out this video here. You got this!
Resources -
Advent season: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holidays/what-is-advent.html
Advent calendar: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holidays/what-is-an-advent-calendar.html
