On the other hand, there are the hardships at this time of year. How many cookies do I have to bake? The Christmas lights aren't working? Another Christmas party? How much are these presents going to cost? How far do we have to drive to visit the family? The list goes on, doesn't it? It can be hard to remember the feeling of joy that we, as Christians, are supposed to feel at the pending birth of Christ. It can be very hard to remember how blessed we are that God sent Jesus to us, and that His coming was to be the end of our sorrows and strife. It doesn't feel like that when Junior has a cookie swap tomorrow at his Boy Scout troop which he didn't mention until right now...
But we owe it to ourselves, our families, and most of all our God to remain joyful (or at least hopeful until those cookies are done). We are doing important work as we go through even the more stressful of the holiday traditions. What we are doing matters on a larger scale than the success of one or two cookie swaps, holiday parties, or gift wrapping marathons. We are celebrating our Savior's birth, after all, and what could be more cause for celebration than that?
Still...feel free to take it down a notch. Really! We are teaching our children how to celebrate Christ's birth, and they will emulate what we teach them. So, remember that while God initiated celebrations to show Him favor (check out Leviticus if you don't believe me), He never said that we should kill ourselves to do it. What God asks of us is to show Him favor, to worship Him beyond all others, and to show one another love in His name. If that means baking cookies to you, then do it. If that means going to a neighbor's Christmas party, do it. If that means traveling, crafting, caroling... then do it. He is worth it, and so are the little ones in our lives whom we are teaching to love and respect Him.
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