A Minimalist Christmas
Cutout cookies and peppermint lattes, twinkle lights and Christmas cards. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Except, sometimes it isn’t.
Sometimes we feel lousy and grumpy and tremendously overwhelmed, and all the “falalalala-ing” in the world doesn’t help. Of course, being overwhelmed never helps. This is nothing new. You already know that the hustle and bustle of Christmas can distract you from the miracle of Christ. But I’m bringing it up again because we still tend to get swept up in the gifts and the going, rather than The Gift that requires slowing — slowing down to worship Him this Christmastime.
Learning this lesson isn’t just good for us, but for our children too. They need us to model what Christmas can be and should be. They need us to model how to say no to a few of the gifts that we’re trying to add to the already knee-deep pile; no to the cookie decorating party that requires two days to prep time when you can’t fit in your quiet time; no to the elephant gift exchange that you and your husband were invited to if it’s the only night before Christmas that you’re both able to be home with the kids; and no to the two poinsettias by the front door if they require another trip to Costco. None of these things are sinful (goodness I love those poinsettias) but slamming all the errands and parties back-to-back may lead us to sin if there’s no time left to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.”
Minimalism at Christmas helps us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. When we have no strength left over from a day of running errands, it’s hard to obey the greatest commandment of all!
I’m learning the art of minimalism as a mom. I’m learning how all the extras can overwhelm my schedule and distract me from focusing on my family and the One who gave them to me. I want to keep the main thing the main thing… but all the little things easily steal my focus and my joy. This is true year-round, during the soccer season and summertime too. But during Christmastime, I’m more passionate about applying boundaries and hemming us in as a family, than any other time of the year.
How about you?
Whether you’re done with your shopping, or rushing out the door right now in these final days before Christmas, let me encourage you to look at your holiday to-do list and cut it in half. Take your menu for Christmas dinner and cross a side-dish off. One store-bought pie and some peppermint oreos are better than a day in the kitchen — if the kitchen is overwhelming you and turning you into a MOM-ster. Likewise, look at the holiday celebrations you’ve committed to and un-commit to one of them. The parties will go on without you, they will be fine without your platter of salted caramel fudge brownies.
Not only will your friends be ok, but your kids and you will be too — better than OK as you grab the Bible and read Luke chapter 2. Put a fire in the fireplace, enjoy a simple dinner together and play your favorite Christmas album instead of running off somewhere tonight.
I started this short note to you by saying that “all the falalalala-ing in the world doesn’t help.” Here’s the reason: it’s not Christmas’ job to save us from our soul-sadness or our sin. That’s Christ’s job! And Christ’s job alone. Christmas celebrations should help simply worship Him, not make it impossible to do. Of course, the tendency is to weary ourselves out celebrating His birth rather than simply spending time being grateful that He was born!
Let’s make a few simple choices to simplify our holiday in these last days leading up to Christmas. Jot down one activity you’re trying to fit in and make the choice not to. What’s one errand that requires you going to a busy store that you don’t actually need to make this week? What is one gift that doesn’t need to be purchased? A few gifts are more than enough — it’s Jesus’ birthday after all, not ours. Let’s keep things simple so that we can simply keep our eyes on Him this Christmas.
As we simplify our Christmas, in order to keep our eyes on Christ, our children will be able to keep their eyes on Him as well. WOW! Let’s keep it simple for our benefit and theirs.
Merry Christmas,
P.S.
If you would like to continue and keep at it as we start the new year consider joining me for an event that may seem like it has nothing to do with “minimalism” but it does. Oh yes, it does! Each January I host a 40 Day Sugar Fast where we cut out all the sugary-extras for 40 days in order to feast simply on Christ and His sustaining Word. Fasting is a beautiful way to practice minimalism, with Christ at the center. Whether you have a sugar addiction or simply want to press the physical/spiritual restart button at the start of another year, join the 40 Day Sugar Fast at 40daysugarfast.com — It all starts January 6th, 2020.
Share this post:
