| "This year will be different. I vow I won't | | | | to have a leisurely Christmas morning with |
| get stressed out over presents, parties, | | | | children enjoying their toys before rushing |
| cards, Christmas plays, putting up the tree | | | | off to anywhere. |
| and decorating, and all the many other tasks | | | | |
| of the season. I will remember the true | | | | 6.Start a tradition of celebrating Jesus |
| meaning of Christmas." | | | | birthday. Ex. Happy Birthday Jesus cake, |
| | | | reading the Christmas story before opening |
| Do you find that all the Christmas chores | | | | presents, or children having their own child |
| steal your joy? | | | | size Nativity set to play with and tell the |
| | | | Christmas story. |
| "For unto us a child is born" - Aahh the | | | | |
| miracle of birth. The true miracle of our | | | | 7.Set a limit on Christmas spending and stick |
| Savior's birth. As Christian mothers we are | | | | to it. Don't celebrate Jesus' birth by being |
| doubly blessed to celebrate Christmas. We | | | | in debt in January. |
| know the joy and pain of childbirth. We can | | | | |
| imagine an exhausted Mary looking at her | | | | 8.Take time to pray and think about the most |
| truly perfect, holy baby. | | | | precious gift of all. Often our quiet times |
| | | | are the first to go when we get so busy. |
| How can we recapture the joy and the | | | | Using an advent calendar with children will |
| simplicity of the first Christmas? | | | | also help them focus on the true meaning of |
| | | | Christmas. |
| Following are some suggestions for making | | | | |
| this the "Perfect" Christmas | | | | 9.Be kind to yourself. You may not be able to |
| | | | do everything like your Mom did. Perhaps you |
| 1.Decide how you want your family to | | | | can make slice-and-bake cookies with your |
| experience the true meaning of Christmas. Ex. | | | | children instead of homemade cookie dough. |
| Will you help another family with presents? | | | | Your children will remember the fun of |
| Our family now has a tradition of doing | | | | decorating cookies, not who made the cookie |
| Christmas boxes for Samaritan's Purse. Our | | | | dough. |
| children love picking out items for the box | | | | |
| and praying for the child who receives their | | | | 10.Remember that you are not superwoman and |
| box. | | | | you can't do it all. Sit down with your |
| | | | husband and decide who can do what on your |
| 2.Prioritize what is most important to you. | | | | list. Children can help put stamps on |
| Maybe you can't do it all. You may choose not | | | | Christmas cards. Be kind to yourself and rest |
| to send Christmas cards, but do a New Years | | | | in our Savior's loving arms. |
| note. | | | | |
| | | | I don't know if you or I will have the |
| 3.Decide what parties you can and cannot | | | | "Perfect" Christmas, but we can make a |
| attend. Sometimes as a family we may rarely | | | | conscious effort to focus on our Lord. Things |
| be home in December. So much for family time. | | | | will go wrong and we will get stressed, but |
| | | | we need to keep our eyes on Him. We need to |
| 4.If you have young children, remember how | | | | show and teach our children that Christmas is |
| important, normal routine and sleep schedule | | | | not about Santa and receiving gifts. |
| are for younger children and you. Taking a | | | | Christmas is about the ultimate gift that we |
| cranky toddler shopping is not a good | | | | can never repay. |
| experience for anyone. | | | | |
| | | | So, I wish you a "Perfect" Christmas with |
| 5.Decide what traditions you want for your | | | | Christ' birth as your focus, and that you |
| own nuclear family. Sometimes we are so busy | | | | would be kind to yourself. Set reasonable |
| going to extended families' homes we don't | | | | expectations for yourself and experience the |
| get to start our own family traditions. Try | | | | true joy of Christmas. |