It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or it used to be, until we started over-scheduling, over-eating, and over-spending. In this episode, Abby tells the story of how she gradually let Christmas get out of hand in her family. The straw that broke the Nativity scene camel’s back was when she asked her husband to bake cookies with her. She was inspired by all the Hallmark movies and the Great British Baking Show, but she didn’t have the skills or patience to back up her inspiration. What started as a sweet holiday activity ended in an argument and cookies worthy of an appearance on Nailed It.
What stresses you out during the holidays? Susan, Chloe, Megan, and Abby all share what burdens them either as moms, wives, or friends. It’s difficult to say no, especially when every family member and friend group wants to celebrate. They’ll talk about how to set boundaries at Christmas without offending the people you love and the influence of social media on your decision to do more this month.
When the commercialism of Christmas is so powerful—gifts, Santa, lights, candy canes—it’s easy to get trapped in spending and doing instead of resting in the peace of the season and anticipating Jesus’s birth. That’s especially true when you have kids whose joy and excitement are contagious. There’s nothing wrong with sharing in that excitement with them, but how can we bring their focus back to the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place? The podcast team talks about simple ways to incorporate more of Jesus into Christmas, like an Advent calendar, the reading of the Christmas story, and even an impromptu play!
Articles We Mentioned
Printables We Think You’ll Like
How do you set your priorities at Christmas?
