Five Things to Do the Week Before Christmas

The countdown is on. Christmas is coming more quickly than most of us would care to admit. The busyness, the hustle, the bustle is coming to a head this week. It’s going to be a blur, so be sure to do what you can to slow down time and take it all in (as if we’re really able to do that).

Here are a few suggestions for enjoying the week and taking it all in. It’s the season of peace, so each of the things to do this week before Christmas starts with a “p”:

  1. Pause. I know. You’re busy. But take just a few minutes sometime this week to pause. When you pause, try this: write down a few things for which you’re thankful; jot down a few goals for the new year; recall some of the highlights of this past year; write a thank you note to someone who had a positive impact on your life this year.
  2. Pivot. Things this week will probably not go as expected. Families will be delayed. Gifts will be too big, too small, or break. Traffic will be maddening. There will be disappointments. Make the decision right now to pivot to the positive. Turn the conversation. Make it better. Bring joy into the situation.
  3. Pitch. This time of year things tend to come into the house. Make room for those things by pitching (or recycling, or donating) stuff that you no longer use or need. Make the things in your life more minimal. Make room for things that are important (and those aren’t necessarily material things).
  4. Ponder. Think about the real reason we celebrate at Christmas. It’s the celebration of the son of God taking on frail human flesh. One of my favorite poets, Luci Shaw, puts it like this: Down he came from up,
    and in from out,
    and here from there.
    A long leap,
    an incandescent fall
    from magnificent
    to naked, frail, small,
    through space,
    between stars,
    into our chill night air,
    shrunk, in infant grace,
    to our damp, cramped
    earthy place
    among all
    the shivering sheep.And now, after all,
    there he lies,
    fast asleep.
  5. Pray. Pray for peace in this world. Places like Aleppo, the Middle East, North Korea, and our own country really need it. Pray for peace in your heart. That kind of peace only comes with the forgiveness of sins purchased by Jesus’ blood on the cross. Pray prayers of thanks and praise. The Prince of Peace is coming.

What would you add to this list?

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

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3 thoughts on “Five Things to Do the Week Before Christmas

  1. Rebuild relationships with family members who you have had no contact with for years over some conflict so silly. Life is too short to hold grudges, be the one to take the step to move forward for 2017.