Isn’t that our goal every year? To make this Christmas better than the last?
How do I make this Christmas better than last year, more memorable than the past, in short, how do I make this Christmas the one my family will talk about for years to come? Or at least until next year when I try to outdo this year?
Well, let me help.
1.Don’t try to do everything.
We start off with grand ideas of all the parties we’ll host, all the gifts we’ll give, and all of the people we’ll honor with our presence and our presents. Start by making a list of all you’d LIKE to do and then just circle the things you HAVE to do – if we don’t go to this, then I’ll be fired or my kids will be expelled. That kind of list. Then, let everyone in the family vote for 3 extra things to do from the LIKE to do list. Once you tally the votes, only add the top vote-getter to the HAVE to do list. This should whittle down your list to something manageable. But don’t throw away the things that didn’t make the cut. They were still good ideas, just spread them out throughout the rest of the year. This will help the holiday cheer last all year round.
2. Focus on experiences more than stuff.
I love to see my kids’ faces when they open gifts that are complete surprises to them – or gifts that they so passionately desired. But the reality is, for many of these gifts, they don’t even make it a year. They break, they are lost, or they are stored away never be seen again. As my kids get older I’m realizing the value of memorable experiences over forgettable gifts. These can be day trips, weekend getaways, Christmas light adventures, and the like. They don’t have to all be done in December, but can be revealed on Christmas Day and then looked forward to for weeks, experienced for days, and then remembered for years. I remember far more experiences about Christmas growing up than I do the gifts. You probably do too.
3. Make it about someone else.
Remember that, for some, this is the loneliest time of year. They’ve lost a loved one, their family lives far away, or they are newly divorced and alone. Take on a family, embrace an elderly person, visit the senior center, serve in a shelter, find some way to bless someone else. In the end, you and your family will be the ones who take away the biggest blessing. I know I’ve been surprised by the blessing of OTHERS in my life more than once. I have a new book coming out in February that deals with this very thing – Better Together: Surprising insights for introverts, extroverts, people pleasers, control freaks, curmudgeons and especially you. You can preorder HERE and get the first chapter emailed to you – just in time for Christmas.
These are just a few of my ideas to #makechristmassimple and thus make this Christmas the best one yet … what are your ideas?