The Holidays

Black and white photo of a wooden nutcracker figure with a fur beard, standing on a table.

The Holidays are always an interesting time of year for me. Christmas is great—by far my favorite holiday. Besides celebrating Jesus’ birth, there is a lot of nostalgia surrounding the Christmas season. This time of year doesn’t come without a few challenges though:

1. Lack of Routine. I don’t necessarily “like” routine, but I have found that it is good for me and thus, necessary. November and December disrupt my routines, which tends to throw me off a bit. I’m thinking more in terms of “spiritual” routines. I am usually out of town a lot this time of year and miss Sunday services, as well as small group. This tends to isolate me a bit and keep me away from my most edifying relationships. This usually opens up the door for temptation for me in various areas. It’s usually a bit of a fight to get through the holidays unscathed.

2. Lack of Motivation. I don’t know if it’s because of all the delicious food or the short days and suspect weather, but it’s hard to be productive this time of year. The year is winding down and everyone is starting to think about the next one.

3. The Holidays can be Exhausting and Expensive. The dynamics have changed a bit now that I live across the country from family, but historically, the holidays are always a busy time. Theresa and I used to go to like 3-5 different family dinners between Christmas and New Years. Even though she did most of the buying and wrapping, what I did help out with was exhausting. And buying all those gifts gets a bit expensive too! It’s easy to lose sight of “why” we do it all in the first place, aside from tradition.

4. Reflecting on the Last Year(s). This can be good or bad, depending on how the year went. Sometimes I find myself not just thinking about the last year, but years. Depending on how far I go back, some of those years weren’t very good! This can be nostalgic, but also bring up bad memories. Either way, it’s usually a mixture of good and bad for me.

I guess there’s a few things I have learned over the years in terms of combatting the difficult parts of the holiday season. Beginning with #1, Lack of Routine. I just simply acknowledge this ahead of time and try to bring my guard up in advance. Being isolated is the most challenging aspect of the lack of routine this time of year. Already, I have missed the last 2 Sunday services at my church and I can feel the “leaky-ness” that has occurred. It’s just a natural thing. I just see it for what it is and try not to fret, knowing that it’s just temporary. I know once I get back into community, my spiritual dullness will wear off. In the meantime, I try to self-feed spiritually as much as possible.

In regards to #2, the Lack of Motivation, I try to remember to finish out the year strong. It doesn’t make sense to almost run an entire marathon and walk the last mile. It’s important how you finish things. Why stop doing the things you’ve been doing all year?

For #3, this one can be the most difficult. It doesn’t apply to me as much anymore, but if it does for you, here are a few thoughts. You may have to make the choice to not go to 5 different places for Christmas dinner some years, especially if you live near a lot of family. You won’t win any popularity contests doing that and you may get some kick-back from certain family members, but it will be worth it. You may also not want to spend thousands of dollars on gifts, thus straining your bank accounts to the point where you’ll be recovering for the next few months and eating Ramen Noodles after January 1st. No, you’re not a stingy person if you choose not to buy everyone a gift this Christmas. Be a cheerful giver, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Choose one dinner to spend time with your closest friends and/or family and only get them gifts.

And lastly, #4 Reflecting on the Last Year. Try to focus on the better parts. Think about God’s grace and faithfulness over the last year and what He’s done in your life. For me, He did countless wonderful things. He’s strengthened parts of my marriage, done things in my kids, provided for us financially and kept our health. He’s been working in my parents and other family members, provided a house and for Theresa, a job. He’s grown the church we are part of, etc., etc. I could go on-and-on. Try not to look too far inward at your pitfalls and shortcomings. Looking inward at our navels will never accomplish anything, but bring about self-pity, doubt, and depression. I’m not talking about simple positive thinking, like Zig Ziglar kinda stuff, I’m talking about real thankfulness towards God for what He has done. Even if it had been a really terrible year for you, which is possible, there are at least a few noteworthy things to be thankful for.

Despite the difficulties that come with the holidays, try to enjoy them as well. Most Christians could stand to “feast” and enjoy or celebrate things a bit more. Wedding ceremonies in the Old Testament lasted as long as one week and there were other celebrations of those times that lasted for months or years. Heaven throws a party over every sinner who repents. Get some R&R and enjoy things a bit!