Together time is what makes the holiday season so special. If you’re just getting started in making your traditions your own, or you want to start some new memory making activities, you’ve come to the right place.
#1 Enjoy an advent devotional
One of the things I’ve come to really enjoy as I’ve gotten older is returning to the core of the season. There’s the glitz and glamour, and trust me— I’m all about that. But I am all about Jesus more. Having an advent devotional in your hands during the Christmas season is one of the ways you can turn back to your core.
Remember what we celebrate during this season and WHY we celebrate it. Why it is bittersweet that we have a massive worldwide birthday party for Jesus that we know is going to end up on the cross? Because the story of Jesus is not just a story. It is Truth. And It doesn’t begin with joy and end in sadness. The sadness of the reality of the cross is only the middle of the book. There is so much more on the other side of the cross. So while it begins with joy, it also ends there too. Opening a devotional every Christmas, helps prepare your heart for this. Check out my list of my favorite Advent Devotionals here.
#2 Go Christmas light hunting
Whether you make a game or scavenger hunt with it, or just drive around to local neighborhoods, Christmas lights are a fun way to bring in the holiday. As a kid, we used to pack up the car with blankets, a thermos full of hot chocolate and find all of our favorite spots in hopes of discovering some new ones on the way. Locally we have a map of all the great Christmas light displays all throughout the valley. That’s a great place to start. Or ask your neighbors of places they recommend— or better yet, go with them!
#3 Christmas movie marathon
This one might seem like a given, BUT there are certain suggestions that I highly recommend that you take into consideration. First, pull out all the stops. Hot Chocolate, Christmas cookies, maybe some ginger ale to combat the sugar stomach ache that might happen. Butter up some popcorn and hit play. Fun side note about the popcorn, out here in Arizona, some of the movie theaters actually sell massive bags of their popcorn.
Call your local Harkins or AMC to see if they do this and take some of the work and mess off of you. The other thing I suggest is to remain 100% present. Have you ever flipped on a movie to only open your phone and by the time you look up, you realize the movie is half over. While I’m not anti-phone, I am PRO-present. Be present with your friends and family that you have during this season. Put everyone’s phone in a bag or basket while the movies are playing for some quality bonding and togetherness.
#4 Christmas tree decorating party
I am always game for a party and this is one that I’ve wanted to do myself, but have never really had the time to. Remember the “old days” where you would see women in beautiful dresses and men in suits, toasting around the Christmas tree with eggnog or mulled wine? They would delicately place the fragile ornaments on the tree limbs as there was music and Yuletide festivity everywhere.
While our lives my not look as perfect as a Currier and Ives scenery, we can still pull together and focus ourselves on being present. Gathering the family one night where there is no sports, practices, or rehearsals. Where the phones get put away and the email notifications are silenced. The family can gather around the twinkle lights, have tinsel fights and maybe make a bit of a mess. But what is family without a little bit of mess.
No matter what your season looks like, taking time to be together and remembering that Jesus is the center of it all is the core of why we do it all.
