At Home with Susan
Monthly Column by Susan Sikes

Christmas is the most exciting time of year for me. The feelings are really hard to even put into words. The whole atmosphere of the world seems to change to one of charity. Besides experiencing giving & receiving, this time is filled with memories, the love of Christ, the excitement of children, music, cooking, decorating, shopping, and chaos. What a contrast!   Preparation and a Christ-centered mindset are keys to dealing with the chaos.

Using a few strategies will help you deal with the busyness of the season. Prepare your home by:

• Uncluttering - Just this step alone will give you a sense of peace.
   
• Clean – Enlist the help of your family, or if finances allow, hire someone. Everyone feels better when the house is clean.
   
• Decorate – This does not have to be elaborate, but make it meaningful.
   
• Plan – Make all Christmas menus in advance with a grocery list. Shop early and take advantage of sales. Also, plan and coordinate family activities on a calendar for everyone to refer to throughout the season.
   
• Homemade Gifts – If you plan on making gifts this year, relieve last minute stress and make them early.
   
• Shopping – Keep a list or spreadsheet with you at all times for all gifts that are needed.  Again, shop early and take advantage of sales.
   
• Cooking – Prepare meals in advance. If there are dishes that can be frozen, you will save yourself a lot of time when you need it the most. Also, try to keep your meals simple for the most part.  Everything doesn’t have to resemble something from Martha Stewart.
   
• Wrapping – (My biggest downfall!) If possible, wrap gifts as you get them. My mother had a different strategy this year. She just had surgery on her wrist, so she hired my daughter to do her wrapping for her. This helped them both out.
  

Remember also to guard your mind. Things do not have to be perfect! This is a hard concept for a lot of us. The house doesn’t have to be completely spotless and the decorations do not have to be like a Norman Rockwell painting. I am nowhere near a perfectionist, but I have to say that one of my biggest areas of frustration during Christmas is getting the lights on the tree JUST RIGHT. Even when I am in the midst of the frustration, I know I am being ridiculous. However, I still allow it to get to me. I plan on solving this problem next year by purchasing a pre-lit tree.

In addition to these outer preparations, we need to make some inner preparations.  We need to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  I never want to be like the inn – no room.  To make sure this does not happen, we need to take some of the same steps listed above.

• Unclutter – Search yourself to see what areas may be taking the place of Christ in your heart. Re-evaluate your priorities and put them in the right place.
   
• Clean - Discard the things in your life that need to be thrown out. Allow God’s Word to guide you in that area. Stay in His Word and praise Him each day. This is the best cleaning routine you can have.
  
  "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
   
• Plan – Look for activities this year that have a Christ-centered message. There are so many programs, musicals, community events, and outreach activities that can help you stay focused on Christ. Incorporate some of these into your family calendar.

These strategies will help eliminate some of the chaos that comes with Christmas. As you go through this season, make room in your heart and in your home to receive Christ. In doing so, you will experience the most exciting Christmas imaginable.

© 2007 by Susan Sikes