At the heart of it all, Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and reflection. For many of us, it’s a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We seem to have a hurried pace during the holiday season, making it difficult to enjoy this special time.

We’re frantically checking off Christmas lists and rushing to meet work deadlines; sending Christmas cards, holiday baking, and Christmas parties with friends and family can leave us exhausted.

What if we decided to spend this season focusing on the reason for the season? What if we slowed down and decided to really enjoy it?

How to Slow Down During the Holiday Hustle

1.

Spend at least 15 minutes reading scripture and writing in a journal in the morning.

I like to get up early; even when my kids were young, I would get up before them to have my quiet time. I like to read my bible, drink a cup of coffee, and write in a journal. These 15 to 20 minutes of quiet moments can help to set me up for a great day. Even if I’m dealing with difficult things, I try to look for blessings and write them down.

During the month of December, I’ve been reading Emmanuel: An Invitation to Prepare Him Room at Christmas and Always, and it’s really good.

I will use this devotional every Christmas!

If you’re not a morning person and can’t get up early, have your quiet time before bed. The main thing is to have some quiet time.

2. Pick out the traditions you love.

Pick out the traditions you and your family love, and prioritize them above all else. Don’t be afraid to say “No.” It can be tempting to say yes to every invitation to gather and spend time with friends and family, but we don’t have to accept every invitation to enjoy the season.

Creating memories with my grandkids is always a high priority for me!

3.

Create a cozy environment and spend time doing relaxing activities.

This doesn’t mean every room has to be decorated but adding lights and some greenery makes any room feel cozy. I love diffusing essential oils, and I have several diffusers in my home. Here are some essential oils that smell like Christmas:

• Cinnamon, clove, and orange
• Peppermint, grapefruit, and spearmint
• Ginger, cinnamon bark, and clove
• Peppermint, wintergreen, white fir, and cedarwood

Take time to read a book, play a board game, work a Christmas puzzle, color in a Christmas coloring book, play with kids, watch a Christmas movie, bake some cookies, etc.

4. Cybershop

Use the gift of online shopping to find your Christmas presents.

This helps you save on gas and time by skipping the mall shopping altogether, and everything is delivered right to your door.

5. Get Some Sleep

With all the holiday activities, we often put sleep on the backburner. But a lack of sleep can catch up with you, so make sure you get plenty of good sleep. Go to bed early if you need to, and ensure you get at least eight hours of sleep.

This Christmas, let’s choose to slow down and celebrate the gift of Jesus.

Let’s not feel pressured to do everything but enjoy the season’s simple joys.

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about : His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25

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