Around our house, we really LOVE Christmas!

We even start playing Christmas music November 1st, because it just makes us HAPPY!

Even though we LOVE Christmas, we’ve actually simplified. And Christmas is just as fun.

We used to set up an elaborate Christmas village. Nobody asked for it, so we didn’t even get it out last year. Christmas was still happy and everyone liked NOT having to put it all away.

Just because we’ve done it before…doesn’t mean we STILL have to always do the SAME things!

The lights of the season are another one of our favorite things. We love driving by homes that SHINE out loud! (The saddest thing to me is when the lights go out after the New Year.) #imserious

And even though I LOVE Christmas lights, we put up less than ever at our house this year. You know what? It’s ok and nobody complained!

When it’s shopping for OTHERS, buying presents is a fun thing I like to do! (My husband has to remind me to buy things for myself.)

Somehow, buying stuff I need just seems like work! But buying gifts for others makes me SMILE!!!

And even though buying for people is one of my FAVORITE things (somehow I love agonizing over ‘this one’ or ‘this one’) – We’ve radically simplified our gift giving and tried to make Christmas about presents for the LITTLE kids.

Instead of gifts for our extended family, every year around the holidays we plan a trip or just devote more time to hanging out together. Just being with the PEOPLE we love is best of all!

I guess what I’m trying to say is…
Try to avoid the SELF-INFLICTED stress of the season:

• Stop trying to please other PEOPLE!
• Stop straining your FINANCES!
• Stop trying to live a picture PERFECT life!
• Stop STRESSING over the lack of TIME to do it all!

That isn’t what the season is about…AT ALL!!!

What are YOUR favorite parts of the season? Do those and FORGET the rest!

There IS a reason for the season, and it isn’t to make malls money or to please neighbors we only see a couple times a year anyway.

We SEE Christmas as the time to celebrate the birth of JESUS!!!

So it doesn’t really matter what’s under the tree, who had the best light display or the prettiest decorations…because we already have the GREATEST GIFT of all!

Relax and enjoy your Father, his gift and your family. It could just be your best Christmas yet!