More Christmas...

I just found another helpful post by Nancy Wilson about Christmas and it got me to thinking... The book I recommended a few posts ago (Unplug the Christmas Machine) has a few things in it I disagree with. Don't get me wrong. I still highly recommend it and have enjoyed this year in a new way as a result of reading it. I just want to point out a few things.

That books makes you want to minimize Christmas a little bit. Mostly in a good way. Don't run yourself ragged and do so much that you and your family can't enjoy the month of December at all. BUT, these Christmas posts have reminded me of how wonderfully LAVISH our celebration should be. We should bestow wonderful gifts on each other during this season. We should feast like no other time of year. We should put up as many lights as we want...afterall the Light of the world has come and He is worth celebrating! But we should do all this with cheerfulness and thankfulness. We should not "fit it all in" grumbling all the while.

Now for a few things from the Unplug book that I liked a lot...it suggested to let the season happen more naturally. That sounds a little hokey, but let me explain. I am sure you have noticed that Christmas decorations start coming out WAY before Halloween! Well, this year I just sort of ignored it all. I did not play the Christmas music, or shop ahead, or plan our holidays months in advance. I enjoyed our kids dressing up for Halloween. We feasted with friends for Thanksgiving and enjoyed the fall colors. Then, on Thanksgiving night I pulled out the Christmas music and got to thinking about all the fun ahead in the next few WEEKS! I enjoyed that it did not build up for months and months. It felt a lot different to enjoy each season as it came. I highly recommend it.

One last interesting thought from the book. It suggests that we have forgotten how to celebrate. Now instead of playing indoor games together, dancing, or going outside for sledding we just watch others do those things. We watch sports or watch movies about times when they did those fun things together. Why don't we do them ourselves anymore? Let's crank up the Christmas music, grab your sweetie or one of your little ones and celebrate the birth of Christ by dancing and breaking a sweat! Let your kids roll out the sugar cookie dough, use the cookie cutters and make a huge mess! They'll love it!