We’ve all either seen or heard of the Grinch who stole Christmas. He is the mean-spirited, green character from the Dr. Seuss story who “slithered and slunked, with a smile most unpleasant, around the whole room, and took every present.” You can probably hear the song playing in your head even now. But, the Grinch isn’t the only one or only thing that can steal our Christmas.
I don’t know about you, but Christmas often comes and goes so quickly that I’m left feeling a bit disappointed and/or wishing that I could have a do-over so that I would enjoy it more, savoring the moments.
Scripture says that no one, if they knew when the thief would come, would allow their home to be invaded or their belongings stolen. (Luke 12:39) And, there is a saying, “You can’t BEWARE of something until first you are AWARE,” so, my purpose in this is to shout out a warning and make you aware of the danger so that you can BEWARE this Christmas season. Here are a few of the things that can steal your Christmas:
Worry…Have you noticed that just before the holidays companies seem to decide that it’s a good time to lay off people or that some unexpected expenditures seem to pop up? That often causes us to worry and fret that there won’t be enough to do for those we love what we would like to do. We stew over the added expenses that the holiday brings until it sends us into a tailspin.
May I make a suggestion if that’s where you find yourself this Christmas? Love, time and attention cost nothing and those are the very best Christmas presents you can give! Gifts under the tree are often opened, enjoyed for a moment and then end up forgotten in the clutter of a closet somewhere, but the feeling of being loved and time given to someone can create a memory that can last a lifetime. So, if you find yourself short on financial resources, why not give something more lasting and release the unnecessary tension of worry?
Unrealistic Expectations…Many of us have unrealistic expectations of what Christmas should be. We want a Currier and Ives kind of Christmas – one where everyone is happy, pleasant, and fun to be around. We want the warm fuzzies of childhood Christmases past.
I want to tell you a secret: If you are holding onto those kinds of expectations, you are almost certain to be disappointed! You are not in the same place you were last year and neither is anyone else. It’s a new day, a new time. So, while you may have traditions that you practice each holiday season, hold those traditions and expectations lightly. Take each moment and each person as they come and release them from the prison of having to meet your expectations. You will be much happier and so will they!
Busyness…There is shopping, parties to attend, extra cooking to be done, and often guests to think about during the holidays and we can get so caught up in doing all of those things that when all is said and done, we wonder what in the world just happened! We’re left drained and sometimes feeling cheated of the time we wanted to have with the special people in our lives. But, the truth is, no one is in charge of your schedule but you! YOU choose what you will and won’t do. So, this year, decide who and what is most important to you and then schedule only those things that allow you to have the kind of Christmas you really want. No one steals your time. You give it away!
This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list of the things that can steal your Christmas spirit, but I think they are three of the biggest. Now that you are AWARE, you can BEWARE. Don’t let the Grinch or anyone or anything else sneak in and take your joy this year!
Remembering what Christmas is really all about and keeping that as your focus will allow you to have more “peace on earth and goodwill toward men”!
Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a productive and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!