Christmas is only three days away, and I have been busy with all the activities that accompany this time of year. Parties and shopping and baking, oh my!
But in all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, there are five things that are at the top of my to-do list. Five things that I absolutely desire to accomplish, even if nothing else on my list gets done. These five things (sadly) have not always been a priority of mine, but this year they have become non-negotiables.
Read on to discover what tops my to-do list this Christmas!
My Christmas To-Do List
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Remember the Reason
In the midst of this busy time of year, the #1 item at the top of my to-do list is to remember that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth. It is a celebration of our Lord and Savior humbling Himself and coming to earth in human form in order to take away our sins once and for all.
The fact that He loved us enough to leave His throne in Heaven and become the ultimate sacrifice is incredible and worth celebrating. I want to make sure that I keep Him in the center of our family’s Christmas this year. Because, after all, who goes to a birthday party and forgets about the birthday boy?
Related Post: How to Keep Christ in Your Family’s Christmas
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Focus on Family
The month of December leading up to Christmas can so quickly fill with activities and events, that very little is left over for family. We stress over presents and parties, food and festivities, and by Christmas we are spent and worn out. We are Tiny Tim to the outside world but Ebenezer Scrooge inside our homes.
This Christmas, I want to give my family the best of my holiday spirit. I want to spend more quality time with them, not less. I want to bless my children with love and attention, not just toys and gifts. And I want Christmas to be a time of spiritual unity and bonding over the Greatest Gift of all.
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Savor the Season
There is so much that is absolutely magical about Christmas, but again, the busyness of the season often detracts from the wonder. I want to spend time this year taking it all in, enjoying the festivities, and appreciating all that is lovely about this time of year. The lights, the carols, the careful selection of meaningful gifts, and yes, even the snow. 🙂
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Make Memories
I have a bad habit of getting so wrapped up in the day-to-day that I neglect to participate in activities that lead to meaningful memories. For the last several years, I have said at the beginning of the month that we should drive around and look at lights, and we never do. This year, I made sure that we scheduled in time to do it. In years past, we’ve scurried from one holiday gathering to the next. This year we are being very purposeful (and stubborn) about creating space for unrushed and unhurried time together, just the four of us. This is also the first year (of many!) that I planned a cookie day with my son, because I had such fond memories of making cookies with my mom growing up. These may seem unimportant at the time, but I know they will form a beautiful mosaic of Christmas memories for my boys years down the road.
Related Post: Why You Should Bake Christmas Cookies With Your Kids (And How to Stay Sane While Doing It!)
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Give Myself Grace
I know that in order to keep the other four items a priority, I am also going to have to give myself some grace this Christmas. My house may not be as clean as I’d like, my blog may not grow as much as I’d hoped, and we may disappoint some people by saying no. But I started the season with a vision for what I wanted Christmas to be, and I’m giving myself the grace to let a few things go in order to achieve it.
I would encourage you, in these last few days of the Christmas season, to think about what you want your memories to be for you and your family. Then be passionate and unapologetic in your pursuit of them. Make the most of the holiday, and don’t miss the lovely strains of true celebration through the cacophonous noise of busyness.
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YES! We get so wrapped up in gift giving and forget the REAL reason for the season. We are visiting family, and our focus is spending time with our family, outsiders are great too, but we do not live near family and this year it’s about our family and everyone else can wait.