“This was my BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!” was a statement I might have made as a child after getting the perfect Christmas gift from Santa. Over the years, great Christmases revolved around family getting together and our own small children being excited about their gifts from Santa. The holiday can be anything but great for a wide variety of reasons. If this year is personally hard for whatever reason, may I suggest a few simple steps to raise this Christmas to the rank of Best Christmas Ever or at least to the meaningful, enjoyable level?
Step #1 to Your Best Christmas Ever – DECIDE
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Sometimes you need to decide that things are going to be good. Believe they can. Okay, I know that won’t flip the switch, but it’s a start! Open your mind to the possibility of this at least being a ‘good’ if not the BEST, Christmas. Your creative mind will start opening up to how this can be true. Trust me on this one as we go onto Step #2. (Give it a try.)
Step #2 to Your Best Christmas – CONNECT
I’m sure you’ve been shopping, wrapping, and shipping (or, at least, getting ready to), so you’ve been thinking about how you can bless your family and friends this year. Let’s take that a step further; start planning to CONNECT even more than in previous years.
Depending on where you live, getting together might vary in how easy that’ll be to accomplish. Start thinking about who would be blessed by your reaching out if you can. There are always those in the neighborhood or your church who could use a little visit, a plate of cookies, or maybe just a personally delivered Christmas card. Get to thinking of possibilities, people!
Step #3 to Your Best Christmas Ever – HOPE
Another step toward the best Christmas in the middle of difficult circumstances would be to search out hope. And I mean the hope of biblical proportions. The kind of hope found in God’s word. Not the wishing you well or crossing your fingers kind.
If you’re a part of God’s family (a believer in Jesus), you and I have that kind of Hope. The BIG H kind of Hope.
- The kind of hope that is solid in what the future holds. Yes, that means eternal life and in heaven. That solid knowing is a concrete foundation that is there ALL the time. We know where we’re going. The last worry has been taken care of. Romans 8:23-25
- The kind of hope where you can trust that God loves you more than you can imagine and wants His best for you. (That’s sometimes different than what we think is best.) Hebrews 6:18-19 (so good!)
- The kind of hope that fills you with joy and peace! There it is. Wow. I’ll take that kind of Hope! Romans 15:13.
I wrote a sweet little post a while back that might encourage you even more to have hope. ❤️ It’s called “What is This Thing Called Hope?”
Step #4 to Your Best Christmas EVER 2022 – TAKE YOURSELF SHOPPING!
Your family might have asked you what you want for Christmas. Mine usually surprises me and oftentimes makes me cry with the sweetness and appropriateness of their gifts. How do they know what I want?
Sometimes though, there are those things you would love to see under the tree with your name on it. So, right here and now, I make it official! Go buy (or order) the gift that would make you the happiest this year! (If someone gets you that thing, it’s okay. Take yours back and get yourself your next best thing! Even better!!)
Here’s my list of gifts I’m considering getting myself this year:
Let’s Wrap this UP
Maybe one of those four steps was the boost you needed to create a great Christmas this year. Deciding, Connecting, Hoping, or (my favorite) Shopping (for yourself 🤶). Throw in a few little things like trying a new recipe or making a Christmas craft with your grandkids, and the chances of a great Christmas increase substantially. And your ability to experience the joy of Christmas increases as well.
Now’s a good time to think about the difference between fun and joy. Mario Murillo just wrote this in his most recent blog post,
Fun is circumstantially based. Fun happens only when things go right.
Joy is from within. It is an artesian well that is not based on circumstances or how things are going. Joy rises to conquer everything that is going on in your life. It is a relentless hope that tells you, no matter what happens, everything will turn out all right.
by Mario Murillo | Dec 19, 2021
We need that kind of joy.
Don’t forget to get your focus on the REAL reason we celebrate this time of the year!
And, if nothing else, don’t forget to get that Christmas present! The one you know you’ll love because you’re the one picking it out! Merry, Merry Christmas!!
Our Favorite Holiday Posts:
Finding a new purpose in living and joy in the day-to-day was the goal when author Kathy Rowland and her entire family (adult kids and grandkids) moved from the PNW to Texas several years ago. The focus of Quiet Hollow is to encourage ‘next chapter women’ – those who are retired, empty-nesters, or have found themselves without a spouse to jump back into life. And, she shares multiple tips, ideas, and possibilities toward that end. Kathy completed her almost 30 years as an elementary teacher and hopped into over a decade of volunteer work, side hustle-type businesses, and grandchild care before discovering her unique and fulfilling purpose for the next chapter of life. What you read on Quiet Hollow is a large part of that calling. Another part is the happy life she’s leading in Central Texas in the same neighborhood as the 3 big kids and her 5 grandkids. She and her college sweetheart husband made sure to add a pool to their new Texas home, so there are lots of noisy, splashy days in their little oasis of a backyard. Come join her on Quiet Hollow in a conversation about finding and living the life you were created to live in this later stage. The chats will be full of laughter, support, faith, and inspiration to create.
