Let’s Examine Our Holiday Season Choices
My husband and I have been reflecting on holiday season choices we’ve made in the past, and we’re analyzing which ones served us well and which ones didn’t. For us, that means looking at our choices in light of honoring God, others, and ourselves.
Here are a few purposeful choices we’re making for the holiday season:
We try not to travel during the holiday season.
We made a decision a long time ago to be in our home as much as possible during the holidays. While we traveled many other times of the year to see family and friends, we knew that when our kids were growing up, they loved being home at the holidays as much as we did.
And now that we have adult children, we still love to be home. We’re still a work-in-progress learning to navigate this adult children phase, but we’ve all agreed on some things. If our children choose to have their holidays in their own homes, we are trying to honor that and arrange another day to get together.
We’re keeping it simple.
The not traveling choice is one of our purposeful choices for keeping it simple. Other choices involve what we do or don’t do as far as traditions.
Some of my friends know this about me: I do not like to cook. At all. In fact, one year I served frozen corn dogs and canned corn for Thanksgiving. I’m not advocating that, but I am advocating looking at what brings you and your family joy and making choices around that.
For example, for years we got a live Christmas tree. But then a few years ago, my husband suggested we try a fake tree. Hmmm, really? But to my surprise I love it!
It’s okay to make choices outside your typical holiday season choices.
We’re focusing on being present.
My husband and I are are being intentional about being present physically and mentally. We want to focus on loving the ones right here with us. Because all our extended family members on both sides live far away, if they come to visit, we want to savor their presence. When we’re with friends, we’re “all-in” celebrating time together.
Being present mentally means making choices about quieting my mind. So, I’m making a list of my “to-dos” and then putting that list aside till after time spent with my husband, friends, and family. It means quieting my mind and heart by spending early morning time reading my Bible, writing in my journal, and talking to Jesus.
What choices are you making or do you want to make for this holiday season?
I hope you’ll spend time reflecting on that question. And then I hope you’ll make your holiday season choices based on what honors God, others, and yourself.
Thank you for being here!
Happy Thanksgiving, sweet friends.
~Melanie
A reminder:
I have a new website: MelanieSChitwood.com
To clarify, I have two separate blog subscriptions.
If you want to subscribe to my personal blog, Doing the Best We Can, you’ll find that here: https://melanieschitwood.com/blog/
If you want to subscribe to my Writing Tips Blog, you’ll find that here:https://melanieschitwood.com/tips/ (These tips were formerly found on Next Step Coaching Services)
Sometimes I’ll combine them, like today but mostly you’ll get separate blog posts from each once or twice per month.
One more thing: Don’t miss out on my holiday season sale on my workbooks. Find those here. My devotion writing workbook is only $9.99, and my writing with Scripture workbook is only $7.99! Find those here: https://melanieschitwood.com/books/