Bits and pieces of Christmas

Christmas day has come and gone! I have loved this Christmas time, not just the 25th of December, but the days leading up to it.

I am slowly learning and realising that Christmas is not just about a certain day, but its something we celebrate for many days and treasure in our hearts always.

While chatting with a friend last night it really dawned on me that we don't have to sit and ponder the birth of Jesus all day on the 25 of December each year to make it meaningful, that's something we contemplate many times throughout the year and so much more around Christmas time.


I remember my days before I was married I would strive hard to make Christmas day meaningful by taking time out to think about the birth of Jesus, but I would often come away from the day feeling guilty that I hadn't spent enough time pondering, but much more time shopping etc.


But this year, and come to think of it in more recent years, I have spent more time leading up to Christmas day thinking about the wonder of Jesus' birth, and the whole nativity story.


Some of the things which I have done this year which has helped me to 'focus' more on Jesus include:

• Reading the Nativity Story (even though I am still not finished!);


• Reading when I can Immanuel - Praying through the names of God through the Christmas Season;


• Going through Getting ready for Christmas with the kids, most days!;


• Listening to lots more meaningful Christmas songs and carols;


• Reading other people's blogs about their thoughts on Christmas;


• Going to two carols nights, plus two church services, I have been blown away this year by the depth of the words in the traditional carols.
  

I feel like its one of the first years I have come away from Christmas feeling like I have truly celebrated Christmas, and it wasn't because I was super organised and got everything done that I wanted to, or that I had spent all day Christmas day meditating on the birth of Jesus.

I think its because I have taken many opportunities throughout the month of December to stop and think, not just leave it all up to Christmas eve or Christmas day. I also tried hard not to allow myself to become anxious or stressed about things to do and things I just can't do!
So here are some of my Christmas highlights for 2008.

• Making nativity gingerbread stables for my neighbours;


• Going to carols and Elder park and watching the awesome lightening over the river Torrens - God put on a great show (most of the singing was pretty good too!)


• Going to carols at our old church with our kids and friends from England who had never been to anything like it before - it's pretty cold on the other side of the world this time of year!


• Watching my husband coordinate an awesome Christmas eve service and then come home and put together two trampolines!
  
• Hosting a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas eve for 23 kids involving cake, making cookies to give away and a nativity story!


• Managing to avoid any crazy shopping expeditions by choosing to shop only in the quiet times (i.e early morning or after tea!)

• Lots of Christmas cooking with my kids, they love to help and watch!

• Going to the Lobethal Christmas pageant with our kids, they've never been to one before and it was so nice to see so many nativity floats!


• Watching our 3 girls sing a Christmas song on stage for the Christmas eve service, our 2 and 1/2 year old didn't sing, but stood there looking pretty while swinging her dress!

Now that its all over, I need to make sure I write a list of all the things I loved this year about Christmas and a list of the things I would like to try or do differently next year.

In the post Christmas sales yesterday at Koorong I picked up this book which I will have to start reading next July called, Can Martha have a Mary Christmas? - Untangling Expectations and Truly experiencing Jesus by Brenda Poinsett.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!