Balanced Perspective -- Living Out a Christ-Centered Christmas

Perhaps it is because I've already lived much of my life as an all-or-nothing person that I now search earnestly for a balanced perspective on so many things:

- Traditional medicine vs. naturopathic means of finding healing

- Eating organic foods vs. eating a good old-fashioned (trans-fat filled) donut now and again

- Living with an agrarian focus but all the while buying our dog food at the local D&B

- Celebrating a harvest celebration (Halloween excluded) vs. ignoring the whole pagan event.

The Christmas holiday is no exception. In the past few years, God has been so good to help me to be purposeful to create a Christ-centered focus during the month of Advent whilst still participating in the various traditions our culture has created (gift giving, Christmas cards, parties, musical opportunities, etc.). I have felt tremendously blessed by these efforts which focus on three things:

1. Preparation prior to December - I work diligently to do all of my gift buying, making, and wrapping before December 1 arrives. I also aim to have our Christmas cards addressed and written prior to that date. Our schedule is meaningfully planned and carefully kept open so as to not overwhelm us during this month. Days are marked and guarded carefully as simply "family days" where we can enjoy games, Christmas movies of old, and family-favorite comfort foods in the company of "just us". Finally, we usually decorate for Christmas just after the Thanksgiving holiday, allowing me (in particular) to really focus, change my heart, and slow down. Being purposeful to get these tasks out of the way has been tremendously freeing as it enables us to be relatively free from the anxiety often associated with the season. More importantly, it clears our hearts and minds so they can be Christ-centered and Advent-focused in our day by day walk through the month.

2. Keep Christmas giving-centered and simple - Keeping the holiday giving centered really begins at Thanksgiving time when we aim to be service oriented in living out our thankfulness for the many blessings God has given. This giving-mentality continues into our Advent season as we are very purposeful as a family to pray for and then give to a needy family that God has brought into our lives (all you have to do is pray -- He will be faithful to bring someone into your life). This looks different each year but has included: providing groceries and personally shopping for the family, actually traveling to and decorating/holiday baking for the family, buying and wrapping gifts for the family members, giving gift cards to the members so that they can buy gifts for each other, buying needed items such as blankets, paying for a heat bill so that the family can be warm through the month, or whatever else might be needed.

In addition to giving to others outside our family, God has been so good to help us keep our focus giving-centered within our family. This has been a tremendous blessing to my husband and I as we've found our children to be far more interested in giving to each other and others (using their own hard-earned money) than they are in curiosity regarding what they will receive under the tree on Christmas morning. It never fails that their faces are exploding with absolute delight as they are anxious to give their gifts to each other and to us first. Gifts given need not be extravagant or expensive. For those who will appreciate it, a handmade gift filled with the sacrifice of time and giving of the heart is always much more meaningful than something haphazardly chosen on your latest trip to WalMart. Our generosity towards others within the presence of our children and our purposeful giving in meaningful ways to them as well has proven to be very effective in encouraging generous hearts in our children.

3. Be diligent and purposeful to communicate Christ - this takes purpose, effort, and a daily walk with God as the busyness of the season can so easily undermine your efforts. We choose carefully how we decorate our home for the holiday -- focusing on God's gift of beauty through nature, the nativity, and the warmth of home and all that it represents. We've been purposeful to keep Santa out of our decorating as well as our focus for the holiday; however, we have taught our children about Saint Nicholas as well as the Christmas customs taught around the world. In our family, we participate in a daily Advent devotional reading as well as a weekly (Sunday evening) Advent lighting complete with the study and exegesis of God's Word on the meaning of the candle being lit, hymn singing with a carol that represents that meaning, lighting of the candle, and family prayer. I have a few resources (listed at the bottom) which I've used over the years to help me plan for this. I typically sit down in the quiet of an early morning and plan our Advent celebration just after Thanksgiving when my heart is full and my mind is fresh. Our many, many read aloud sessions with deliciously beautiful illustrations are focused on telling the story of Jesus' birth as well as celebrating the tradition of giving, not on the antics and adventures of Santa Claus or snowmen running from monsters.

This is the first year we have also put out a "Happy Birthday Jesus" jar sitting next to two Compassion International catalogues showcasing the needs of poorer countries and the gifts (typically in the way of buying animals, seeds, or donations toward well-drilling) which we can buy. Family members can donate spare change, their allowance for the month, or any amount of money that they feel called to give. My youngest has embraced this to the fullest, heading straight to her piggy bank and emptying its contents to go in the jar. Smile. She looked right up at me with those bluish green eyes and rosy cheeks with a look of sincere and tender affection and said, "Mommy, God loves a cheerful giver!" She is so right. She went to bed with dreams of giving ducks, chickens, seeds, and goats to our motherless Compassion Child (Agatha) living in Tanzania who is able to go to school and receive a Christian education through our monthly giving.

While I greatly appreciate the concern many have in not wanting to support the commercial frenzy that Christmas has become and therefore losing sight of the true purpose and reason for Christmas, I believe that it is possible to walk this path with a balanced perspective and enjoy a Christ-centered Christmas alongside some cultural traditions. Each family must respectfully and faithfully search out the answers and method that best fits their convictions of the heart. God is and continues to be faithful to reveal this in His own timing. Blessed Christmas to you and yours as you celebrate His birth in your own unique ways.

Resources:

"A Family Advent: Keeping the Savior in the Season" by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

"Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas" by Sharon Jaynes

"Family Celebrations at Christmas" by Ann Hibbard

"Christmas Gatherings: How to Host Evangelistic Christmas Gatherings" by Joyce Bademan.

Project Angel Tree -- Prison Fellowship www.angeltree.org

Operation Christmas Child -- Samaritanspurse.org

Jesse Tree patterns and information -- Proverbs31.org or www.aholyexperience.com