Christmas Countdown #4: Making this Christmas the Best Ever

Christmas is right on top of us. Are you ready? There’s always last minute “stuff” to do and buy or maybe you’ve got a big chunk to take care of. Either way, that glorious Christmas day will be here before you know it. I’d like to make the most of the holiday, wouldn’t you?

If we are going to make Christmas the best it can be we need to be present, we need to ground ourselves in each moment, and we need to enjoy the day.

But sometimes with all the preparations, holiday hullabaloo, and a house full of family and friends we can let the day pass before us without ever really taking it in.

What can we do?

Here’s some tips to make this wonderful day all it can be…

Stop and notice what’s around you. Take in the smells, what you see, what you hear, and most of all the people you love. Take it all in and notice. And remember the powerful sense of touch. Our sense of touch is sometimes underrated. At the risk of sounding creepy, I will often tenderly touch my adult children, again, not in a creepy way. I’ll play with my daughter’s hair or touch my sons’ beards and hold their face in my hands. Just because they are adults doesn’t mean we need to stop hugs and affection. Not even going to mention how much I touch hubby during the day and the grandkids, well, if you’re a grandparent you know how wonderful it is to have a grandchild near. Hold hands with a loved one or sit close. Remember your senses and take them all in…smells, sight, sound, and touch.

Give your full attention and focus on one thing at a time. Focus on what’s currently happening, especially if you are talking and more importantly listening to a loved one. There’s nothing that says I don’t really care about you than not listening or not giving our attention to someone. Attention and talking and listening says, I love you.

Stop and be grateful. Say a prayer of thanks for each person present. Take a pause and enjoy the love surrounding you.

Practice the gift of acceptance. Express to the people you love that you fully accept them just as they are. The gift of acceptance is priceless. While you are doing this remember to also accept yourself. Give others AND yourself the gift of full acceptance.

Enjoy your food. Take time to fully taste and enjoy each bite. Mindless eating can ruin any meal. Eat mindfully. As a kid one of the major factors at Christmas was eating. We’d start our first course at roughly 3:00 p.m. and sit around the table with multiply courses eating up to midnight and sometimes beyond. Antipasto, cheeses, meats, olives, pasta, meatballs, sausage, bread, breadsticks, ham, nuts…on and on, with the grand finale of desserts. How we had room for dessert I really don’t know. Cakes, pastries, cannoli’s, cobbler, cookies, ice cream… It was an endless array of food and eating. Food needn’t be the main event but it’s usually a big part of our celebration, so enjoy it and savor it. Remember to be mindful and enjoy the festive food.   

Breathe. It may be necessary to stop multiply times during the day to breathe. Simple, right? But deep breathing is one way to ground yourself. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in the nasty comment, breathe out peace and let go of the reaction to shoot off a comeback. Breathe in the botched dessert and breathe out switching to ice cream. Breathe in the moment and breathe out taking it all in with love.

Put all phones and computers away. Focus on those that are present. Stay away from social media. Give yourself and your loved ones the gift of being present and not distracted.

Take a break. Take a break and go for a walk or sit outside or by the fireplace for a while. Especially if you are the host put your feet up and take a break. I know you’ve earned it.

Enjoy your day. Merry Christmas!

“You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

– Psalm 16:11

“For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

– Isaiah 9:6

Thanks for visiting LuSays. Need a gift for the season? Check out books by Lucille Williams: Know someone who’s getting married? From Me to We would make the perfect gift. Want to give someone some fun laughs and a boost in their intimacy department? The Intimacy You Crave is a fun gift. Know a mom who could use some encouragement? Order a copy of The Impossible Kid.  And a perfect gift for the little ones Turtle Finds His Talent for ages 2-6.