City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there’s a feeling
Of Christmas

Silver Bells

When did Christmas become a checklist? Somehow it happens every year.

I asked a neighbor if she was managing to avoid holiday stress. “When is holiday prep not stressful?” was her response.

When indeed? And yet, that is the opposite of what I desire. What I want to do is bake cookies, laugh, light candles, and sit by the fire. I want twinkle lights on every tree everywhere. I want to smell pine in the air. I want warm spiced cider and comfort food. I want to throw open the doors to friends and family, be spontaneous and not worry if the counter is clean and everything is in its place.

I want to be amazed by God’s good gifts, the greatest of which is love and redemption. I want joy and amazement to permeate everything.

When I asked another neighbor if she’d be home for Christmas, she answered: “Is there a party?” What a wonderful, carefree way to experience life. In anticipation of delight rather than preoccupation with the specifics.

At one point, I had thought of inviting the neighborhood over for coffee and dessert. But then the checklist jerked me away with other plans, details, and errands. Gifts, wrapping, mailing on time. What photos do we put on the Christmas card? What will we eat on Christmas Eve? How can we make New Year’s Eve festive? Groceries, baking, decorations. Costco. This doesn’t even include cleaning up, returning emails, laundry, doctor appointments, and scheduling things in the new year. And shopping for groceries, again.

Since we moved to another part of the state, the holidays have become simpler and more difficult at the same time. We haven’t been weighed down by “We’ve always done it this way.” And our new community has provided an abundance of festivities. A capella music, a 3-million light display, a bunco party and a delicious banquet at our church. At the same time, I had no idea where to display my Santa collection. No mantel. There was much debate about where to put the Christmas tree. We couldn’t hammer a nail into the front door – who knows why – so we had to get a wreath hanger. No lights were ever hung outside.

The hustle and bustle of the holidays can expend all our energy and drown out the wonder of the season. As author Shauna Niequist put it “. . . sometimes my strategic self gets in the way of my heart self, and I miss the most important things because of it.”

One day, I will experience a simpler Christmas. I will invite others over with abandon and serve whatever is at hand. I will go caroling and then spend time sitting by the fire with a cup of cocoa. I will look at Christmas lights instead of sweeping up crumbs.

Someday.

Jesus, hear my prayer.