5 ways to savor the season with your spouse and children

    Do you ever feel like all your planning and preparing that goes into this Christmas season far outweighs the time you actually spend enjoying it? There’s so much to do: parties to attend, gifts to purchase, cards to mail, people to serve, meals to make, services and recitals to attend, preparations for travel and much more.
    I’ve certainly felt the pressure, and if I’m not careful, my busyness and to-do list will keep me from treasuring what this season is all about: celebrating the birth of our savior and savoring the time with those I love most.
    I certainly don’t have it figured out, and it’s not always perfect in our home, but here are five ways I’m striving to make the most out of it with my husband and children.
    1. At dinner or before bed at night, talk about Jesus. When your kids’ bellies are full or they’re about to doze off to sleep, bring up Jesus. Be prepared for funny questions and conversations you’re not exactly expecting. Kids’ minds go in a thousand directions. But there’s no better time than now to talk about his birth, what Mary and Joseph must have felt like, how Jesus was born in a manger of all places, why he came to earth, what his life looked like as he grew up being the son of God, how his love for us took him to the cross and more.
    There’s so much marketing on our screens, advertisements in the mail, and emphasis on stuff and Santa that it can leave little room for Jesus and why we even celebrate Christmas. Make Jesus the center of attention in your home and be ready for some sweet dialogue.
    2. Plan one significant memory a day. Failing to plan is planning to fail. We know that significant moments don’t just appear out of the sky all the time. We have to carve them out and prioritize. What do you want your spouse and children to remember most from Christmas 2018?
    Baking cookies for your neighbors? Reading a Christmas devotional before bed? Grabbing hot cocoa while looking at lights? Attending a Christmas Eve service as a family? Surprising a family in need with a basket of goodies? Praying over the families in the Christmas cards you receive? Playing games by the fire and listening to Christmas music? Caroling together in your neighborhood? Meaningful memories are endless. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Just simply choose one significant memory for the day and execute on it.

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