The Christmas season will soon be upon us. And for many it will be accompanied by a frantic pace, bah humbug attitudes or the Christmas blues. Spouses are already beginning to cringe at the thought of spending a portion of the holiday season arguing with family or spending long hours traveling to dinner with relatives. Visions of children not going to school for three weeks, with the weather too cold for them to be outside, cause some parents to shut down in anticipation. For many people, the holidays have lost their allure and the reason for the season has become wrapped up in frustration, greed, and disappointment.
Is it time to rekindle your Christmas spirit? Need to bring a little life, meaning and excitement to this year’s holiday season for you and your family? If so, you can start by implementing some of the inspirational ideas suggested below.
1. Slow down and enjoy the moment.
Repeat the following phase 20 times a day to yourself, starting on November 15 and continuing through the New Year: “I relax into the flow of life and let life provide me with everything I need with ease and comfort.” Do this faithfully every day and you will be amazed at the results.
2. Donate some time and energy to charity.
Giving brings out a special part in all of us. Ring the bell for the Salvation Army, volunteer at a soup kitchen, or help deliver food baskets. Your donation will be rewarded with inner feelings of peace and comfort.
3. Make your own Christmas cards to mail to friends and family.
Involve your whole family in designing and coloring a Christmas image for your card. Agree on a saying or text message you want to add. Take it to Kinko’s or Office Max and have them turn it into your personalized holiday greeting complete with matching envelopes.
4. Take a unique and creative photo of your vacation or your family.
The popularity of the serious family photo used in a greeting card seems to be increasing. For a fun change of pace, why not surprise your family and friends with a unique or funny photo of you and your kids? How about a group photo of the family’s bare feet or a close-up photo of each family member’s belly button with a contest to see who can match the belly button to the correct person? The idea here is to be creative and have fun.
5. Bake cookies or bread and make a personal delivery to a few friends.
Family baking. Wrap yourself in family. And deliver with family. Personal delivery adds a connecting link between your family and the recipient. It is an effective way to remind yourself that being with someone is just as important as doing for someone.
6. Record 5 Christmas songs sung by the family or children and send them to Grandma.
Grandma, Grandpa or Aunt Julie will enjoy singing along with your family’s rendition of some of the holiday classics. You never know, your family could be the next Partridge family.
7. Give a turkey or ham to five families in need.
Find a need and fill it. Your heart will be filled along the way and your children will learn a valuable lesson in charity.
8. Read a variety of Christmas stories.
Change your family library to make holiday stories visible and available for easy access. Read a different children’s Christmas classic every night. Oral reading will benefit your children and, as a bonus, they may take you back to your childhood, remembering the very stories that are read to you.
9. Clean out hall closet and give last year’s winter clothes to Coats for Kids.
Do this activity with your children. It will help them develop the habit of charity by seeing what they have and how they can give some of their time, energy, and possessions to help others. A related lesson will occur later. You can help your children see how giving creates space for new things to come their way.
10. Go to a holiday concert or music festival.
Christmas music fills the heart and soul with memories of childhood, friends, family rituals and special events. Let your heart open to the music of the holidays. Let her soothe your soul and move you with her presence within you.
11. Invite another family over to watch a Christmas classic on TV.
This is a fun and inexpensive way to get together for a night out. Pop some popcorn and take time for each person to share when they remember seeing the show for the first time.
12. Take old vacation photos and make a picture timeline to display with other decorations.
See how far back in family history you can go with photos from past vacations. The kids will love seeing all the “old” photos of you and your vacation guests, too.
13. Make your own decorations.
Decorate pineapples. Form plasticine and let it dry. Make chains out of green and red construction paper. Buy Styrofoam balls and paint them with glitter, glue, and string. Decorate cookies. Ideas are limitless, flow with them.
14. Take a tour to “see the light.”
Hop in the car with the family and take a “see the light” tour of the neighborhood. When you get home, encourage each person to talk about which light display they liked best and ask them why. Take a different tour to “see the light” each night.
15. Write thank you notes to neighbors who have decorated your home in inspiring ways.
Many people decorate so that they can bring pleasure to those who drive. Share your appreciation. Let them know how their efforts lifted your spirits and brought joy to your holiday season.
16. Make your own wrapping paper.
Trace cookie cutter shapes onto large sheets of white paper and color and paint the shapes as desired. Or cut sponges into festive shapes and sponge paint designs. Use that paper to wrap your Christmas gifts.
17. Tell stories of family traditions.
Children love stories and storytelling is a powerful tool to help children learn to read and write. It’s a great way to stay while preserving family traditions and adding to the holiday cheer.
18. Decorate a tree outside for the animals.
During the winter months, many animals find it difficult to find nutritious food to eat. By stringing orange rings, apple rings, and carrots and placing them on a tree outside, you create a beautiful tree that helps wildlife survive a tough time of year.
19. Create a countdown ceremony that can be followed every night.
This ceremony can be as simple as following a countdown calendar and opening the next window to light a candle and have a special reading that has religious or spiritual meaning for you or your family. The key is to make the countdown an event that others will look forward to as the family approaches its main holiday celebration.
20. Give the children disposable cameras and let them take a photo each day from December 1st to January 1st.
Finding the right photo to take can be a learning process for everyone, young and old. Encourage them to find something that is meaningful each day on a personal level. Follow up in January by printing the images. Each person can then create their own countdown calendar to use during the next year’s holiday season.
Remember, it is you who creates the reason for the season. It’s up to you to take charge and design the holiday season you want. Happy Holidays!
