Squeezing out Christmas

I wrote a note on the December page of my analog calendar that read, "Warning! December fills up fast." My prophetic sticky note proved true. A plethora of activities now surrounds the few events I had on the calendar. The busyness of December has prompted the idea of rewriting the Andy Williams Christmas song to say, "It's the most busiest time of the year."

The Bible reminds us throughout that our days are limited (Ps. 90:12) and of the priority to make the best use of our time (Eph. 5:16.) The one is a sobering reminder, the other a rallying cry. I want to propose three ways to squeeze out Christmas from the calendar making the most of the busiest season of the year.

First, take thirty minutes to list out all the Christmas events that are important to you. Christmas Eve services, cookie baking, concerts, dinners, light displays, movies, whatever activities that make December feel like Christmas. Now, of those events, rank what is most important to you. Then put those on the calendar. You may not be able to do everything, but you will do what matters most.

Second, designate a purpose for your moments. For example, if spending time with family and friends is an important part of Christmas, block out every Sunday night in December to spend with them. First, designate the time for the priority, then determine the activity. By defining a purpose in your calendar, you declare your priorities, intentionally live and reduce your stress.

Finally, remember nothing important ever happens in isolation. I tend to be overscheduled, which is why I am incredibly thankful for the spontaneity of my best friend. While I often feel trapped by my schedule, I also know how frustrated he becomes when he misses events he wanted to attend and how stressed he gets when planning a major event a few days before the deadline. My point is this: Overscheduling can be harmful, but not establishing your priorities can make you feel like you are missing the life you are dreaming of.

The calendar can either swallow you like quicksand or be like a road map identifying both the destination you want to reach and stops along the way you want to experience. So to squeeze Christmas out of the calendar, decide what matters most, intentionally move toward your priorities, and leave off the rest.