The 5 Keys To A Simple Life During Christmas

It is just around the corner, and I’m excited. The boys are at the age where Christmas can actually start being exciting. We can take them to the plays, drive to see the city lights, and decorate the apartment with a large tree. This Christmas will have a special moment in our family’s memories.

As a Christian, our family does focus on Christs birth. We’ll tell the story and have Jesus is the Reason for the season stuff, but we aren’t kidding anyone. It is about the presents. My wife and I want the best for our kids this Christmas and want to make it special for them. The problem is that we aren’t made of money. My wife is a children’s pastor and I’ve quit teaching to return to school full-time.

Those Price Tags

It is easy to live the simplicity ideal in July or March, but it is a true burden when it is the Christmas season.  There are presents. There are lights. There are ornaments. There are those neat city villages. Everything is exciting. Everything is expensive.

For better or worse, we will probably end up spending more during the holidays. Its good for the economy. Its bad for my wallet philosophy. The key is not to fight against the consumer holiday. Beyond the superficiality, Christmas is truly the most connective time of the year. Instead, we need to keep our perspectives in check and plan ahead.

The Christmas List

1. Decide on the gifts and required decorations now or very soon
2. Buy in October and November
3. Refrain from advertisement temptations (easier said than done)
4. Detail your family’s Christmas day from wake to sleep
5. Try to make a written strategy to keep the season within your religious and/or cultural actual perspective of the holiday (i.e. I want to keep Jesus and community as the focus of our family’s Christmas)

Finally, the most important thing is to allow yourself to enjoy the season. Many people drive themselves insane during the holidays. We all want the best sales, the limited toys, and the most decorated house. On the other side, many people ruin their holiday by not buying anything. They are so caught up with fighting the consumer culture that the holidays don’t exist to them. Either way, it only hurts the family. We need to focus on the best part of the holidays. It is a time of community. It is a time of giving. It is a time for family. It is a time for remembrance. It is a time to love. 

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