Yesterday I talked about preparing for Christmas with little hands that want to help and little hearts that go along with those little hands. (Read it here.)
I’m also all about teaching and discipling my children right alongside me while I do my “things” – sharing our quiet time, memory verses, and in this case, preparing for Christmas. I call this Intentional Simplicity. It’s not that great ideas and plans aren’t, well, great. It’s just that I know when I try to add too much, I don’t get to any of it. And not “getting to God” is just not an option.
When it comes to celebrating Advent, there are a lot of resources out there. Advent calendars, scavenger hunts, Elf on the Shelf, Angel in the House, readings, playlists, books, and so much more. And it can be overwhelming to sort through it.
There’s a lot of Advent ideas out there that I love! But I’m only doing a couple – I’m intentionally choosing to keep it simple, to not get overwhelmed, and Lord-willing, we’ll be able to do this every day or most days between now and Christmas.
So instead of giving you one more set of ideas to sort through, I have five ideas to share with you for when you look at any idea that you might like to try:
1. Is it kid friendly? Is the nativity break able or does it have sentimental value? Is the Advent calendar hard to open? Are the readings really long or above their level of understanding?
2. Is it attainable in your schedule? Think about how many minutes a day you can dedicate to doing this. Choose an activity that fits in that time.
3. Can we afford it? Yes, going skiing and shopping and out for hot chocolate and…and….and….might sound great, just be sure to include it in your budget plans. And if you can’t do the Zoo lights AND going out for peppermint ice cream, drive around and look at lights where it’s warm while eating your ice cream. 🙂
4. Does it increase family time or just stress? Yes, it’s great to make ornaments for the whole family but if that means not talking to your husband and kids for a whole day to get it done, and by the end you’re frazzled and fried, maybe that time could be used differently.
5. Does it reflect the most important part of Christmas? Does this activity help me to teach my kids about Jesus, His birth, and the reason for His birth? [That doesn’t mean that you can ONLY go sledding with the church group, or that you have to skip the cookie exchange, but this might help your prioritize what you do and don’t have time for.]
And mama, if you’re reading this, it’s not too late to try or change or ask the questions. If you didn’t get started on December first, you don’t have to wait a whole year to get it “right”. You can start looking and praying right now, and I know you and God will come up with something great.
What are some ways that you are choosing Intentional Simplicity this Christmas season? You can share in the comments or using the hashtag #intentionalsimplicity and share it with @LeahHeffner on twitter. I’d love to hear all of your ideas!
#intentionalsimplicity – What we do to prepare for Christmas.
We have this felt Advent calendar, which builds the nativity one piece at a time over the course of 24 days. In each pocket I put a card from this printable. We spend a lot of time reading Happy Birthday Jesus, and we make a set of homemade ornaments (this year’s are cinnamon and applesauce from this recipe) that the kids can help me with to give as gifts. I keep decorating simple (and with a lot less broken mishaps) but decorating with plastic balls on a tree and hanging our stockings.
**links may contain affiliates. thanks for your support**
Leave a Reply