I love doing ALL the Christmas things this time of year. Baking cookies, listening to Christmas music, shopping in the crazy crowds, finding the perfect gifts, hiding our advent angel each night, continuing our Christmas Eve pajama tradition, drinking hot chocolate and driving around to look at Christmas lights.
It’s all on my to-do list and I fully intend to do it all.
I know that this time of year can get a bad rap for adding more to our already busy schedules. We read all the articles telling us to do less and say “no” to all the extra activities. But I just can’t – and I don’t feel guilty about it. Sure, our calendar is looking a little more hectic than normal, but those activities? Those are where the memories are made.
A holy hustle holiday is about being present in every experience. I would rather add special moments to our days as we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus so that these days, the cold, wintery ones, feel different than the rest of the year. I want Madi to remember our house decorated for Christmas, making a mess as we decorate cookies at the kitchen table, and dance during the credits of another Christmas movie night.
Whatever this next week brings for you, I hope you’ll do all the Christmas things that help you, and your family, experience the joy of the season. Don’t feel guilty for doing all the things, and don’t feel ashamed when you take a quiet day to rest and reflect. We can celebrate and create memories AND be present as we celebrate Jesus.
What are you favorite ways to make memories this week?