Christmas is not everyone’s favorite holiday. Some associate it with loss, loneliness, or stress. Over the past few months, I have truly enjoyed scrolling through my social media feed. I have watched a continuous stream of holiday parties, cookies with Santa, and family portraits. You can tell that with each post memories were being made. As I start to take down the Christmas trees and turn off the lights, my heart cries out.
I’m not ready for it to be over.
The world is more compassionate during the holidays. We make sure to provide toys and clothes to children in need. We make sure there are meals for those who are hungry. We provide shelters to those without homes. Because our hearts are filled with joy, we want to give back to those in need. I love seeing the mom lift her son to put change into the Salvation Army box or the little girl picking out a doll for her Angel Tree child. We are teaching acts of giving and kindness during the holidays to our children without even realizing it. When the holidays are over these activities seem to fade from many families’ lives until the next holiday season. If we were to have more Christmas, there would be more opportunities for teaching these habits.
I’m not saying we need to give gifts all year round or we need monthly family portraits. What I mean is we need “Christmas Spirit” 24/7/365. I may sound like an actress from a Hallmark movie, but imagine a world where in July you line your chair up for the “Summer Community Parade” or you sit down in March to build a gingerbread house with your children. You watch their smiles as they lick the icing off of their hands. Christmas brings a sense of joy and happiness that can only be found in the season.
As moms we kill it during the holiday season. We manage to have family pictures made with coordinating outfits, at least one, possibly two sessions with Santa (kids change their minds you know), every day we don’t forget to (and maybe we do) move the dang elf, set up and decorate a tree (or two), wrap at least 20 or more presents, shop for those presents, bake at least one seasonal dessert, and we manage to do this all in 40 days. Why do we do this to ourselves? It’s because we love to look back and post the previous four crying Santa pictures because this year, we conquered him! We love to share our delicious baking skills with our local postman, garbage men, and neighbors. We cherish the smiles on our loved ones’ faces as they open the gift you have selected especially for them. We do this because we love the season of giving and joy.
I leave you with a challenge mom. One day a month, “do something Christmas.” Turn on a Hallmark movie, blast “Santa Baby” on the radio, or bake Christmas cookies. Fill yourself with Christmas joy. You can pack up the living room, but don’t pack up your heart.
