Christmastime can be stressful. Shopping, cleaning, baking, travelling and what about decorating the inside and outside of the house? It seems we pack so many activities into such a limited space of time.
Even getting and decorating the Christmas tree can elevate the blood pressure if it is one of too many things to do (last year my wife and I had to simplify things so we purchased our first ever artificial Christmas tree complete with its own lights).
Christmas stress is nothing new. That first Christmas certainly had its stresses. The very expectant Mary had to journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem (probably walking much of this meandering 150 kilometer distance). An uncomfortable situation under the best of circumstances.
I thought it humorous that a British supermarket company, Tesco, posted an ad for a new job: a Christmas Light Untangler. This was a customer service job. In other words, these employees would literally help to untangle customer’s tangled messes! Duties: “manning and managing the Christmas Lights Untangling counter, with the ability to untangle 10 feet of Christmas lights in less than three minutes as well as check the bulbs for signs of breakage.” Every little act helps!
I don’t think there is a completely stress-free Christmas. Preparation for family gatherings always involve hustle and bustle, followed by the keeping of traditions and the joy of forming new memories. Yet, it is good to monitor our personal stress levels to better enjoy the Season. Sharing in preparation and not just showing up for events, spreads out both the responsibilities and the celebrations.
Christmas stress is nothing new. That first Christmas certainly had its stresses. The very expectant Mary had to journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem (probably walking much of this meandering 150 kilometer distance). An uncomfortable situation under the best of circumstances. When they arrived, there was no lodging, so the baby Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger (no time to have that baby room set up prior to the birth). Unexpected guests kept arriving at this most unusual maternity ward! However, the celebration of the arrival of baby Jesus, made the stresses worth it all. Maybe that is the key! As we focus on Jesus this Season, it is worth it all. Merry Christmas!