Do's and Don'ts of Christmas

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I know there are people who dread the holidays, but for me my whole life seems to come back into perspective. I don't have some special formula or a secret that I am keeping from others. For me it comes down to a simple list of do's and don'ts.

Don't...

Eat everything put in front of you. You only end up feeling stuffed or gaining weight. And then you are miserable during the holidays or mad at yourself in January.

Don't...

Buy every little cute Christmas novelty item. They come and go each year and only add to our materialistic culture and commercialize Christmas.

Don't...

Wear a tacky Christmas sweater unless it is for a tacky sweater Christmas party. These are reserved for the people who can actually pull it off - usually teachers because the kids love it and/or grandmothers because their grandchildren love it.

LIKE I SAID...DON'T WEAR THE TACKY CHRISTMAS SWEATERS!!!

Don't...

Try to cram every Christmas program and holiday special event into your schedule. There is no way a normal person can add that many extra programs into their schedule during a three week period and survive at a healthy level.

Do

Eat some favorite holiday treats and even better bake some of you own to give to others. There is no other time of the year when your neighbors (especially those who are not believers) will be more open to receiving a gift of homemade goodies and hearing a simple message about Jesus being the reason for the celebration.

Buy a Bible to give to a non-Christian and highlight or mark the gospel where the true Christmas story is told of Jesus' birth. Even those family members or girls that you are trying to reach will usually receive any gift at Christmas, even a Bible.

Spend some time going through your closet. Find a local ministry through your church where you can give away extra coats, jackets, or clothes that are appropriate for your climate.

Keep your focus on Jesus. There are so many things that will distract you and try to draw you away from the true meaning of Christmas. Before you know it, you can be lost in the busyness and your time of worship and celebration stolen away. Fix your focus on what is unseen, even as the visible world parades before your eyes with lights and tinsel.

"So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  - 2 Corinthians 4:18

What are your do's and don'ts of Christmas? What helps you to keep your focus on Jesus?