by Kelly Monroe

It’s that time of year again. It seems to come faster and faster as we get older. 

We all love getting together with family and friends for the holidays. 

As the song says “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”

But let’s be honest, sometimes the holidays can be a little short of a Hallmark movie. The holidays can be stressful especially for young moms juggling kids and busy schedules.

And then you have the dreaded questions “whose family are we spending the holidays with this year… do we divide the time….do we switch each year?”  

So what can you do to enjoy this time of year without all the stress? 

One thing we have to realize is that we can’t please everyone. And when you get married your first priority is to your husband and children– not your parents. 

So a word of advice for parents of adult children– don’t put pressure on them or make them feel guilty for not doing things YOUR way. And young married adults– find your own traditions. You don’t always have to “do holidays the way your parents did it.”

And then there is the added stress of finances. It can get really expensive when you feel you must buy gifts for everyone. One idea might be to draw names, especially in big families. Another idea might be to ask the family instead of buying gifts for each other, (which many times just end up in a drawer), is to sponsor a needy family for Christmas. 

The bottom line is that the holidays should be a time to reflect on the many blessings we have. It’s a time to reconnect with loved ones and most importantly to shine the light of Jesus. If we look to Jesus and stop trying to please everyone, we can trust Him to give us true peace during the holiday season.

Luke 2:10 “But the angel said to them do not be afraid. Today I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah the Lord”.