Fighting for Christmas
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This post was originally published on December 16, 2012. Seeing as I’m having a hard time getting “into” Christmas, it seems apropos to repost it. Let’s fight for Christmas.
This month didn’t start out all glitter and rainbows for me. I’ve struggled since right after Thanksgiving. It’s been nothing major. Just lots of little things that got in the way of my best intentions.
Early last week I realized that the days were passing me by. The kids were excited for Christmas and the little electronic countdown card that they consult every day was telling me that the days were quickly disappearing.
Monday we went to get the tree. We also did our traditional cruise by Starbucks afterward for hot cocoa. Talk about your suburban traditions. Starbucks is in the same parking lot as Lowe’s! LOL
On Tuesday the kids and I decorated the Christmas tree. They were so excited. Their enthusiasm seemed to wash away some of those blahs I was feeling.
That night we made tamales, yes, even children helped. Then they devoured the entire potful in about five minutes.
I think that’s when I realized that sometimes we have to fight for Christmas. This holiday may seem like a drop in the bucket compared to my forty other Christmases past. But, my kids’ buckets aren’t so deep.
I’m going to fight to make this Christmas a good one.
I’m not talking about more presents or more food. I’m not talking about more stuff to do.
Instead I’m talking about making the most of the resources and the time that we have together:
- praying instead of worrying
- cuddling our kids and spouses
- singing songs
- watching movies and playing kid games
- baking treats together
- buying a coffee for the stranger in line behind you
- making home homier, though the world proves it holds a lot of crazies
- living a life of love so that others are reminded what Love is
I don’t have a lot of answers. I just know there’s a fire in me now to fight the good fight.
I lost my nephew last week in a car accident. I am fighting for Christmas because my children need me to bring the Christmas spirit this year. I will only have 4 days left before Christmas when we return from the service to try and get in a Christmas movie, bake cookies and deliver to the neighbors or any of the other things I would normally be doing this week. I am hoping to do any of these things with my children this year, as so much has already been taken away and a little normalcy and tradition will so us all good.
I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. May God guide your steps and give you all a sense of His comfort and peace. And lots of yummy cookies.
Thank you so much for this. You have no idea how much your words were needed.
I’m so glad that God’s timing is always good. Hang in there.
This couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I actually just posted today about how I was really struggling with feeling a bit grinch-y this year. Thankfully, my kiddos shared a little of their Christmas cheer by begging us to get the ornaments on the tree today (which led to hanging garlands and stockings and putting out nativities). I’m still on in full on Christmas mode (don’t really know what my deal is) but I’m a lot closer to feeling in the spirit of things than I was earlier today!! Merry Christmas Season!
Thanks for reminding us to make it fun for the kids…I was feeling overwhelmed today because I realized not everything I planned can possibly get done!!! Now I will focus on what my kids enjoy, and let the rest go!
Yep. I think that’s the approach we need to take. Find the things that they like and that matter to them — if we’re not feeling all hung-ho.
I think the more we do for others because we truly want to please them, really helps. My girls loved decorating the tree on Friday. Loved it. Honestly, I went cheap on a Douglas Fir when I really don’t like them. I might have enjoyed it all more with a Noble, but that was $20 more. Might have to reconsider my grinchy ways next year.
I’m right there with you! We moved to a new state over the summer. New state, new tiny house, new feelings. This is the first Christmas in 35 years I won’t be with my mextended family for Christmas. It’ll be just the four of us. Sweet hubby is trying hard to keep me positive. Definitely a fight this year… For my girls sake.
I so needed this today. I was just thinking today about how it is less than a week until Christmas, I haven’t wrapped most of the gifts, our house is lucky to have a tree up (and not much else), I haven’t heard much in the way of carols, haven’t had an opportunity to take my kids to look at lights, am always too busy for holiday baking, missed the one holiday party that I was invited to. Besides all of that, I miss my parents tremendously around the holidays and if it weren’t for the kids I probably wouldn’t even want to celebrate. My step sister is dying of breast cancer, my lifelong neighbor was just diagnosed with stage 4 incurable, rare cancer, I have an appointment for my son tomorrow for a weird something or other that I found today above his rib cage (and hope and pray it is nothing). And the event in CT have me just so out of the holiday spirit that I honestly can’t wait for it to be over. My daughter is so excited and I think she is keeping me going.
Hang in there, my friend. We have had many Christmases just like that. They give you perspective and help you help others during the years when things are “merrier.”
Thanks for the reminder to fight. My hubby tends to be a Christmas Scrooge. Each year it gets harder and harder for me to put in the effort. I NEED to do it for my kids.
love this. thanks for sharing. let’s make our times together precious.
Hi I’m in the trenches fighting the good fight too!!!!!
Quickly realizing I’m running out of time to make the Christmas pajama pants (they sounded so easy), the bath salts & foot scrubs I wanted to make etc, etc etc
But I really should get some kind of gift for my son’s teacher who is a man & doesn’t drink coffee…….why does that stump me in the gift department????
I’m winning the battle by rocking the Christmas music, having the tree decorated & wrapping gifts with my 5 year old for others instead of waiting until the rest of the house is asleep. I’m letting go of the house not being perfectly dusted & the floors nice & clean (we’re not eating off them anyway, right? LOL)
I’ll be starting prep on the Christmas breakfast & planning to go someplace else for dinner (really, it will happen!)
BTW I would love to make homemade tamales; we typically buy them from the latino grocery…which can be expensive when my boys can eat 5+ each!
I’m with you! Decorating gingerbread houses isn’t my favorite activity, but . . . we are doing it tonight afterschool!
Christmas is really in the heart anyway, isn’t it? Christmas can kind of be all year. We can celebrate any day of the year we choose to celebrate.
I’m in the same boat as many of you other readers (waving hello!).
The Great Fight also has to mean rebelling against Retail. Who says we need all that stuff? (Uh, retail.) We didn’t have a common picture of Santa until Coca-cola gave us one —- in an advertizement. The 3 Wise Men didn’t pop into the corner 7-Eleven for the gifts they gave the Christ Child.
Ignore it all, and Retail doesn’t win.
Retail doesn’t rule me.
I kind of feel this way every Christmas. It can be so overwhelming with all that needs to be done. I want to be supermom at the kids’ schools, in the kitchen, in the gift department, at making the perfect homeade thing on a budget, etc. Every year, I seem to get better at it and this year I’m trying to find more things to do with the little ones. I just wish I liked baking with 3 year olds. There are just some limits I have to set. Ha! Good luck to everyone!
“I just wish I liked baking with 3 year olds.” Hahaha! I KNOW exactly how you feel! Out of my 7, the current three year old is the hardest to do things with.
Christmas is very hard for me. 10 years ago I got a divorce he got everything $ and now I have nothing and the children do not visit any longer either since I have zero money. Life is hard. I’m always sick as I have a compromised immune system and with zero cash no doc visit and no holiday visits from or to anyone. It’s been 6 years since I have had a holiday and I miss the holidays.
Merry Christmas to all.
Sarah,
Merry Christmas to you!!!! I know it can be hard to not be around family for the holidays (sometimes it makes me very bitter, but I try & remember I can’t change them & it’s their choice).
I think you can choose to go out & make friends find a church family (I’m MUCH closer to my church family who are friends than my blood family, do what brings you joy & can brighten your day. I know it can be hard, but I also know that it can make you feel tons better!
Thank you for sharing this! This Christmas season has been tough for us in many ways, including the memory of my brother’s death 3 years ago, my grandpa dying on Thanksgiving, and just a lot of struggle in other areas. I had so many plans this Christmas to make it special, and that hasn’t happened. I planned on making all of our gifts, doing an advent activity every day, etc. I have felt guilty, but I cannot change what has happened in life. All I can do is move forward and remember what Christmas is about… and simplify from here on out. I actually wrote a post about that today (with gifts).
This is exactly how I am feeling! Thanks! My husband’s company downsized in May, he was let go and we have been struggling with unemployment since. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas, but I am going to have to try for our 6 yr. old and 2 yr. old. We have tried to find a way for me to not have to work, and I am really trying to see it as being a responsible adult, not abandoning my kids! I’ll try to be more cheery this season! Merry Christmas!
I’m really fighting the blahs this year too. Thanks for this post!
I can really relate to this post! I have a renewed determination as well to make this a special time for my children and let them know how important they are; how important our family, values and traditions are; and to remember the reason for the season.