Turning Off the Christmas Machine

Life hacks for surviving the craziness of Christmas.

Hey gang, guess what? Today I’d like you to meet a new writer buddy of mine, Linda Shenton Matchett. She’s got some great stuff to say about taking the edge off the chaos of Christmas. So grab a mug of tea and sit back for some sage advice…

Author Linda Shenton Matchett

The retail industry unveils Christmas earlier each year. Some stores didn’t even wait until after Halloween to trot out their displays. In addition to the barrage of advertisements everywhere I look (including my new smart phone – ugh!), I sometimes find myself too busy to enjoy the holiday or feel worshipful during the Christmas Eve service. The grind of getting year-end tasks done at work, meeting writing deadlines, and attending extra choir rehearsals combined with the hustle and bustle of shopping, family commitments, and other events can be overwhelming.

And snuff the joy of the season right out of you.

Here are a few ways I have found to recapture the sense of wonder and awe of God’s gift of His Son’s birth:

1.     Listen to music.
Make an appointment with yourself and God (outside your regular devotional time) and go to a favorite location where you can be alone. If it’s in the house be sure to shut the door and hang a “do not disturb” sign on the knob. Using the music producing device of your choice (iPod, CD, YouTube, etc.), listen to Christmas carols. Lots of Christmas carols. Listen at a sound level that tunes out everything else. Sing along (no matter your vocal ability) and pay attention to the words. Let God remind you of the “reason for the season.”

2.     Take a walk.
Yes, I know it’s winter, and here in New England it’s downright frigid. Bundle up and tuck hand-warmers in your gloves. Promise yourself a cup of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee upon return. As you walk, look at God’s creation. With the leaves gone, it’s easier to notice the variations in tree bark, size and shape of shrubs, and the nuances of color in soil and stones. Talk to God and thank Him for His attention to detail in everything He made. Be specific. Remember, He could have created one type of everything, and we wouldn’t have known the difference. Instead, He gave us variety beyond belief.

3.     Go to church.
Not on Sunday or a day it’s full of people, but when the building is vacant. Let yourself into the sanctuary. Remove your coat and sit down in one of the pews. Take a deep breath. Then another. Is there a cross in the room? Gaze at it and remember that before Christ died for us, He came into the world as a tiny baby. Then list the reasons you are thankful at this particular time of year. Speak them out loud. You may feel foolish at first, but once you get going, you’ll discover they readily roll off your tongue.

It’s my prayer that you’ll be able to turn off the Christmas machine this year, and regain the joy of the season.

“…Behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, blogger, and history geek. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry, Linda has lived in historical places most of her life. She is a volunteer docent at the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library. Active in her church Linda serves as treasurer, usher, and choir member. She is a member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC. Her latest novella, A Doctor in the House, is available now. Visit Linda at her website to keep up with her writing and check out her blog.