Rethinking Christmas: Finding Joy Beyond the Glitter

Rethinking Christmas: Finding Joy Beyond the Glitter

Are you dreading the holidays, especially Christmas, with all its glitter, glamour, and endless gift-giving? If you're like me, it’s not always the most wonderful time of the year in that regard.

Don’t get me wrong, the birth of Christ brings me incredible joy. But when there are little ones around, the pressure can mount quickly. There’s an unspoken expectation that a multitude of gifts should magically appear under the tree on Christmas morning.

Maybe you’re wondering how this year could look different.

Several years ago, I came across an article in Epoch Times that shifted my perspective. It suggested that long before the holidays are upon us is the best time to prepare. Why? Because when we wait until the proverbial last minute, we tend to overspend, rack up debt, and sometimes even buy out of guilt just to cross names off our list.

Sound familiar?

It’s stressful, exhausting, and it steals the joy right out of the season.

Mary Hunt, the author of the Epoch Times article, offered several practical ideas:

• Make this year an all-cash Christmas. Avoid the January credit card blues by spending only what you already have.

• Establish or rekindle family traditions. Maybe it’s baking cookies, reading the Christmas story, or driving around to look at lights together.

• Separate chores from celebrations. Let go of perfection and focus on presence.

• Embrace a DIY Christmas. Homemade gifts, handwritten notes, or acts of service often mean far more than anything store-bought.

If you don’t know where to start, begin by making a gift list. Rethink the way you’ve exchanged gifts in the past and start new traditions that fit your family and your faith. There are endless resources for creative and meaningful ideas, like Pinterest, Etsy, and countless blogs.

Mary Hunt has even written a book titled Debt-Proof Your Christmas: Celebrating the Holidays Without Breaking the Bank. It’s full of wisdom for those who want to avoid the stress and financial pressure of last-minute shopping.

Work in small, easy-to-achieve steps, like doing one thing each day, starting today, so December doesn’t feel overwhelming.

Advent begins December 1st. This year I ordered a Nativity Advent for our great-grands. It's a beautiful way to bring the Reason for the Season into focus and teach the family that yes, gifts are great, but the greatest gift of all is honoring Jesus, the Savior of the world, whose birth changed the course of humanity forever.

A Christmas Prayer

Lord, help us slow down this season and remember what truly matters. Teach us to give from the heart, not from habit. Guard us from the pull of perfection and consumerism, and fill our homes with peace, gratitude, and joy. May every gift we give and receive reflect Your love, and may our celebration honor the One whose birth brought hope to the world, Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Amen.

Watch a personal message from Mindi here: