Contentment at Christmas

If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. (1 Tim. 6:8)

I have always loved the beauty of the Christmas season. As a child, I was a little disappointed that our house didn’t look like the gorgeously decorated homes in magazines. We didn’t have big, fluffy garlands with gold accents. Our tree was small, and all the ornaments that had been collected over the years were mismatched. When I grew up and started my own traditions with my family, I was determined to have Southern Living Christmases. Containers full of decorations soon lined our garage wall.

Last Christmas, however, was different. Service commitments along with raising a strong-willed toddler were maxing out my time and energy. Just looking at the containers in the garage exhausted me. So I decided just to decorate the tree and put up our nativity set. No garland on the banister. No lights on the columns. No knickknacks scattered around the house. Then my in-laws suggested that we not exchange gifts with them, drastically reducing my shopping time and budget.

Once my commitments ended in mid-December, I used the time I would have spent shopping and decorating to focus on celebrating Christ’s birth. Christmas was made lovely with prayer and drawing near to the God who drew near to us. It was made bright by attending special worship services with my family, reading the Christmas story, and rejoicing in song. I found I didn’t need all the decorations and gifts. I did less; yet it was the most meaningful Christmas I can remember.

Contentment is never a more elusive state in our culture than at Christmas. There’s nothing wrong with decorating and giving gifts during the holidays. But if your well-meaning holiday to-do list has worn you down, you may want to simplify.