Are you getting into the Christmas spirit yet? Oh, I love Christmas! Here is a new and improved list of things you can do to be Merry and Bright and ponder the real meaning of Christmas this year like no other!
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Sometimes we get so busy with all the preparation and bustle of Christmas we forget our Ho Ho Ho! It’s more like Ho Ho Humbug! Christmas can be a stressful time and that’s such a shame!
I’m sharing 10 ways to put a little jingle back into your step and Christmas joy in your heart! Even if you are the happiest of Christmas elves these ideas will help you celebrate this special season!
I’m sure these suggestions will get you singing Christmas carols in no time!
LISTEN TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC
Listen to your favorite Christmas music! When I’m cleaning or decorating a room or a tree I like to listen to peppy, fun Christmas music. When I cook I listen to Michael Buble or Christmas standards and when I’m working and need to concentrate without a whole lot of foot tapping I listen to my Pandora station: Peaceful Christmas Music!
PANDORA has the most wonderful Christmas stations!
Christmas music is such a special treat and most of us only listen to it this time of year! Get in as much Christmas music listening as you can! It’s a real mood lifter!
FILL YOUR HOME WITH THE SCENTS OF CHRISTMAS
Oh, joy!!!! Aromas create and trigger strong memories. Fill your home with scents of peppermint, cinnamon and cloves, evergreen, vanilla, and other delicious Christmas scents.
My favorite way to do this is diffusing essential oils.
If you are an “oily” girl or guy you might like my favorite Christmas combination from Young Living.
Mix 6 drops of Thieves, 3 cinnamon, 2 cloves, and 2 orange or tangerine. I am a young living consultant. Use my member number to order 3098375.
Another way to add a Christmas scent to a room is to make your own Scented Pinecones. They are so so easy to make and can be stored and refreshed from year to year.
CUT DOWN YOUR TO-DO LIST
Okay, just do it!!!! You know you should! A little bit of holiday tough love, friend!
Most of us have a pretty busy holiday schedule!
If you are like me, you tend to keep piling those chores, parties, responsibilities, etc on! Don’t do it!
The object of getting to Christmas day is to have a prepared heart not a prepared everything else in the universe!
That leaves our spiritual and emotional tanks empty and our bodies exhausted with hot glued fingertips, glitter in our hair, and bags under our eyes!
I took a serious look at all I did a few years back and cut it down!!!!
Did I really need to make 15 different kinds of Christmas cookies? NO! So if I make them I only make a few of our very favorites. This is so so freeing!
Do I really need three Christmas trees decking the halls at the Tanglewood house?
It’s much better to have one that is carefully and joyfully decorated! Please hear me… Do what is important to you and your family. That’s it! You will be so much happier and your family will love you for it too!
Christmas can be Christmas without all the extras. Charlie Brown was right!
GET INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BY ASKING FOR HELP
This is huge!
My grandmother lived with her mother-in-law, my great aunt lived down the street and Nani’s next-door neighbors felt like family. They worked together! “Many hands make light work”. The old adage is true!
We can learn a lot about working together from our grandmothers.
If you love cookie baking barter to do it for a Christmas chore you don’t like as much! If you are a decorating elf but cleaning/organizing is just not your gift let it be known that you are ready to trade jobs!
Because of my busy job I have help. My friend also works for me and will help me put away my Christmas decorations this year. I can’t even begin to tell you the giant Christmas tree-size weight that will be lifted off of me!
I usually move right into January’s blogging schedule the day after Christmas and don’t have time to de-decorate… except between the hours of 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM the week right after New Year. And that is already scheduled for much-needed sleep! My friend Katie is a godsent in my life!
Delegate. You should not do all the Christmas work. If another person lives in your home share the work and enjoy the fun together!
I’m hosting Christmas this year but I have grown children and they really pitch in. And I don’t wash a dish! My sweet Bobby is in charge of the sink. What a joy to work together!
Do things that make your life and the Christmas season easier and more enjoyable! Ask for help!
Seriously, do it!
DECORATE SOMETHING FOR 20 MINUTES
Decorating our homes at Christmastime can be daunting!
How fun would it be to pour yourself into a Christmas decoration that only took 20 minutes to do?
Most of us can find 20 minutes in our day to make something beautiful. And making an effort to only concentrate on that one thing for 20 minutes will give our minds a much needed time-out and get us into the Christmas spirit.
There are so many easy to do Christmas arrangements on the blog that take less than 20 minutes to create.
Here are just a few…
- Christmas Box
- Stacking Bowl Arrangement
- Create A Beautiful Christmas Arrangement From A Faux Houseplant
- Modern Advent Wreath
READ THE TRUE CHRISTMAS STORY
If you are not feeling very Christmassy, give yourself a break! It’s okay.
To tell you the truth, how we celebrate Christmas is a far cry from the real-deal first Christmas! If you want to really get the true meaning of Christmas read about it in the Bible… Luke 2:1-20. Or read about it HERE.
Christmas is really not about the decorations and tinsel. It’s about how God came to us with His plan of salvation! Oh, now that is something to celebrate, my friend!
Even if you are the jolliest of Christmas lovers or the grumpiest Grinch you should make time to read the true Christmas story! It’s so good for your soul.
Christmas Spirit is real and should be cherished!
READ A CHRISTMAS BOOK
Take time to read a few Christmas books! The ones on the list below are simple and yet so poignant!
Just saying “The Best Christmas Pagent Ever” makes me giggle… every time!
- THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
- UNWRAPPING THE GREATEST GIFT
- THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (I read this every year)
- THE LITTLEST ANGEL (this one too and cry buckets)
- THE CHRISTMAS WISH
- AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS
WATCH A CHRISTMAS MOVIE
Grab a bowl of popcorn (and maybe some candy canes) and the family and watch a Christmas movie together!
We had a family tradition that continues to this day. Every Friday night is movie night. Now my children who have young families do the same.
We just watched Elf (fast-forwarding through a few parts) and our little boys howled!
DRIVE AROUND AND LOOK AT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
This is a big favorite of mine!
Last night on the way home from a family birthday dinner Bobby and I were making a mental note of what homes we wanted to visit on our “Christmas lights” tours. The good, the bad, and the oh,-what-were-you-thinking! I must admit I LOVE a train wreck of a display as much as I love a one-of-a-kind Christmas beauty!
There is something magical about Christmas lights! Make sure to turn on the Christmas tunes and take a thermos or traveler of hot chocolate and maybe a cookie or two!
Make it a family event!
PAINT YOUR NAIL RED
Get a manicure and paint your nails Christmas red! And if you are daring, add sparkles! Enough said!
GO FOR A WALK
Don’t forget to exercise during the holidays. We tend to drop our exercise routines when we get busy. But exercise will help your mental outlook and we will feel better too! I swim and it’s such good medicine!
Spend time in the fresh air. Get outside! Even if it is cold!
Oops! I think that was 11 ways to get into the Christmas spirit! Here are a few other things that might put a little jingle bell in your step!
- stay away from the mall (Only go to see Santa. The rest can be life-sucking at Christmas!)
- order online
- visit local shops
- buy a small real evergreen tree (If you have a big artificial tree get a small tree or at least a bunch of real greens right before Christmas)
- send Christmas cards, we all need a little extra cheer this year
- drink hot chocolate ( Here’s an easy slow cooker peppermint hot chocolate I love)
- give to your favorite charity- many more people need a helping hand this year
- go to church
- volunteer if you can do it safely
- find out what local events are happening in your area and go if they are outside
- wrap gifts as you get them
- eat lots of cookies (and make sure you follow the last tip- get those walking shoes on!)
- make gifts/cookies for friends and drop them off at their front door
- hang a wreath on your front door with a big bow
See how to make this super easy SNOWY Christmas Wreath HERE.
Here’s hoping you have the merriest Christmas ever!
How do you get in the Christmas spirit! Please share!
You always make the Hollidays so festive. I love your list of ten things to help get in the Christmas spirit!