A Christ-Centered Christmas Doesn't Have to Be HardSýnishorn

Trimming the Tree

As a newly married couple on a tight budget, my husband and I couldn’t afford much in the way of Christmas decorations the first year we were married. However, we did scrape together enough money to purchase a six-foot artificial tree. After a few strands of lights and inexpensive ornaments, the tree looked beautiful.

Eighteen years of marriage and two artificial trees later, we decided to purchase a live tree for the first time. We had just moved into our newly built home and wanted to establish a new Christmas tradition.

Since our living room ceiling stretched two stories high, we decided a twelve-foot tree would adequately fill the space. The freshly cut spruce was so large it had to be delivered to our home on a flatbed truck. Two burly guys carefully maneuvered the mammoth evergreen in front of our two-story window and removed its wire mesh.

Oh my! Apparently, tall trees are also very wide trees!

After the branches settled, our first (and soon to be last) live Christmas tree consumed nearly two-thirds of living space in the room. That year, trimming the tree took on a whole new meaning as we spent the next two hours trying to reduce the tree’s circumference with a pair of hedge trimmers.

I really do love Christmas; but sometimes I wonder, with the many traditions surrounding the holiday, have we left room for the Savior in the manger—Jesus?

While it’s true that holiday traditions are meant to enhance the season, if we are not careful, much like our oversized tree, our Christmas traditions could end up consuming more space than we anticipated.

By simplifying a few Christmas traditions, we just might be able to free-up enough margin to focus on that which is most important—our Lord and Savior.

Personal Reflection

• Which Christmas traditions bring you joy?
• Which Christmas traditions cause you to feel more stress than joy?

Prayer

Lord, I want YOU to be the focus of my holiday traditions. Help me know which traditions to keep and which to let go. Thank you, Lord, for answered prayer. Amen.