While carolers sing about peace on earth, parents stress about the ever-increasing list of things that must be done before December 25. Not only is there little Peace on Earth, there’s little peace in our homes.
The thought of Christmas evokes nostalgia as we imagine the Norman Rockwell holiday we hope to enjoy. But the reality is often very different. For many, Christmas has become an exhausting undertaking with countless “special” events piled on top of already crowded lives.
Parents want to pass along customs they observed growing up, so they combine the traditions of their two families, doubling the hoopla for their own kids. Then they hear about special holiday events and activities in their communities, and figure they’d better take advantage of those, too.
The resulting morass of holiday observances overwhelms parents’ schedules while there are still clothes to launder and jobs to do. Children are overwhelmed, as well, by too many events and too little down time.
It’s a recipe for disaster and often leads to one: a stressed-out family trying to do too much with too few resources. No wonder children and parents are cranky.
If any of this scenario rings true in your family, you might stop where you are to consider how you can create peace in the waning hours before the holiday. Here are some ideas:
Do less. Instead of cooking four recipes for Christmas dinner, prepare two. Watch one holiday movie on television. Read one favorite Christmas book.
Focus on people. Take the hand of every family member and tell them how grateful you are for their presence in your life. Look—really look—at your children as they open their presents. Revel in your love for each other.
Model peace for your family. A little girl recently told me that her mom’s “stressed out about Christmas.” Our self-imposed anxiety can cloud our kids’ understanding about Peace on Earth.
This season represents one brief moment when many in the world together recognize the value of Peace on Earth, joining hands figuratively in this noble cause. Choose to have peace in your own heart this Christmas. And in the silence of your quieted mind, just see if you can’t hear choirs of angels.
