Celebrate Christmas in Busyness or Stillness 

One recent evening we celebrated an early Christmas with some of our family packed into our living room. It was an active couple of hours with presents being opened, decorations being enjoyed, younger grandchildren playing with new toys, older grandsons wrestling with each other, several of us engaged in a game of Uno, and numerous noisy conversations. It was great.

The following evening was quite a different scene in the same room. While my wife was busy on her computer in another part of the house, I was all alone. I turned off the lamp that is almost always on during our waking hours, leaving only the lights from the Christmas tree as the room’s source of illumination. In that dim-lit atmosphere, I had a nice, quiet time sitting there in my recliner relaxing and contemplating the meaning of the season. It was great.

 I don’t know what your Christmas will look like over the course of the next few days. Maybe you are traveling or planning action-packed days with family. Or possibly you foresee a relatively quiet Christmas due to many of the gatherings and other activities already being behind you or simply due to not having many people around with which to celebrate. Those who are so busy might wish for a time-out. Those who may feel alone might wish for a more socially-active celebration. However your Christmas may look this year, it can be meaningful.

In the midst of a busy, crowded Christmas, be thankful for family, friends, neighbors, church family, and other people with whom you can connect. Those interactions, while sometimes challenging, can be such a blessing. Be grateful for the love of others and for the ability to be involved in their lives. And look for opportunities in those gatherings to be a light of love and truth to those who may need such an influence to touch their lives.

On the other hand, if you find yourself with a more tranquil Christmas, even one in which you feel lonely, take it as an opportunity to enjoy a time of quiet contemplation. Take pleasure in the little things of the season that are meaningful to you. As the Bible describes Mary pondering the strange events of that first Christmas in her heart, take time to think about the birth of Jesus and its implications. Be grateful for the God who loved you so much that He sent His Son into the world to be your Savior. Move past all the secondary aspects of this holiday – the shopping, the gift-giving, Santa, and even those family gatherings – and remind yourself what it is really all about – the birth of the One who came to save us from our sins. Don’t despise having a quiet Christmas. Take advantage of it to refocus, to worship, and to draw closer to the Lord.

Even if you have a busy Christmas schedule, it would be beneficial to try to find a few minutes away from the family frenzy to experience such a quiet time with the Lord. Squeeze it in during the early morning hours before others get out of bed or in the late evening hours after others have retired for the night. Take a break to quieten your heart and meditate on Jesus’ birth.

Likewise, if you are having a quiet Christmas, don’t totally isolate yourself. Still look for opportunities to connect with people. It might not be in a party atmosphere, but through a simple card, phone call, quick visit, or sharing a plate of Christmas cookies. Still seek to be a light to others.

Whatever your circumstances look like this Christmas, whether busy or quiet, it can still be a blessed time for you, as well as a time when you can bless others.