We had barely digested our Thanksgiving meal and I found myself out amongst the craziness looking for bargains. The parking lots were packed with everyone going every which way and the stores were over-crowded. We were filling our cart with things that we thought were great Christmas present deals and items we just couldn’t do without for that price.

Really?

The following day I disrupted my son and hubby during the football game to move our furniture around to make room for our Christmas tree. Then off to the basement I went, pulling out the tree and numerous boxes of decorations for both inside and outside. The pressure to get my decorations up and the gifts bought was already over-whelming me.

It wasn’t’ soon before I found myself slumped on the couch too tuckered out to continue. My head was swirling and filled with everything but sugarplums. The Christmas season has not yet begun and I’m already coming unwrapped!

 It’s so easy to get swept up in the frenzy of the commercial aspect of the holiday season when everywhere you go there are glistening lights, over-sized decorations and the impulse to buy, buy, buy stuff.

 And that’s exactly what it is, just stuff that clutters our lives.

After sitting for a while and thinking, I decided to take a deep breath and declutter this Christmas season, remembering what the true meaning of Christmas is about. It’s not about the lights, decorations, parties, and presents … it’s about our presence.

This holiday season I’m making a conscious effort to slow down and pay attention to what really matters in my life … God, family and friends.

Join me in focusing on the true meaning of Christmas by preparing spiritually and not commercially. Advent (the four weeks before Christmas) is the perfect time for preparation and praying leading up to the celebration of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ.

By all means, let’s have fun, enjoy the holidays and each other. And take some time to think about what really matters to you. Show your loved ones how very dear they are to your heart and how much you love them.

Reach out to others who may need your warmth and friendship. Do something nice for a neighbor. Spend time with an elderly person or someone who is lonely during this season. Share a kind word with a stranger. Reach out to the less fortunate. A small gesture goes a long way. I guarantee it will help you celebrate and enjoy the holiday spirit more thoroughly.

And I quote…

“Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day. And then – the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches, plus two!”  ~Dr. Seuss

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash