The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

I didn’t find the Christmas spirit till the week of Christmas, so I’m disappointed to find Christmas is over. So, I pondered the idea of celebrating Christmas all year. What would it be like? What would I do to remind myself of the glory of Christmas? I came up with eight.

1. Think about Jesus in a real and personal way daily which is why Christmas is so special. The music, the stories, and the reality of God as one of us.

2. Forgive quickly—nothing takes away the spirit of Christmas like carrying a grudge. Nothing ruins a day, a week, a month like unforgiveness. It doesn’t hurt the person you are struggling with.

3. Say thank you all the time. Having an attitude of gratitude carries a sense of joy and celebration.

4. Have unique lighting and use candles. I love the lights of Christmas. So why not create more fun lighting in my home. Maybe make a space for me with fun lighting.

5. Find ways to celebrate. There is always a simple little way to celebrate. It means living deliberately. Planning celebrations. Kind of like my number six and my number seven.

6. Think of others and how to bless them in small jesters. We don’t acknowledge friends or people often enough. So much of my time is spent just doing, not doing for any real purpose. I know how it feels when someone blesses me. I also know how it feels when I bless someone else. It gives real meaning to life.

7. Take time for coffee, art, music, and ….. take time for meaningful breaks to breathe. To enjoy what is right about your life. Most of the time, when I drink coffee, it’s because I need a pickup, not to relax and allow myself time to ponder the wonderful things and people in my life. I turn the music on when I want noise, not because I want to relax. I love art, but taking the time to appreciate it isn’t often on my radar

8. Hang onto wonder. Christmas is always about wonder. Nothing brings wonder to the surface like working with children.