One Covid-proof Way to Un-Grinch Your 2020 Christmas
Raise your hand if Christmas season in a pandemic feels a little extra stressful. *raising both my hands* It’s possible the words, “Ugh! I hate the Christmas season,” fell out of my mouth just this week. Don’t judge me.
Listen, in a year where our stress levels are already high, adding the extra pressure of family holiday expectations could easily turn this Christmas into the year we remember for all the wrong reasons. Cue the funk in dysfunction.
Whether it’s letting your expectations rule the season, holding on to bitterness from years past, marinating in anger until it becomes rage, letting harsh words and criticism roll off your tongue or any number of other ways to ruin the Christmas spirit, you don’t have to choose these reactions.
I get it. You can’t change your family, they may show up knowing how to push all your buttons and (be honest now) you may know all the ways to push theirs. While you can’t control your family you can control yourself. Try on this one drama defeating decision and three ways to put it into practice.
“Be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving.” These words come straight from the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus. His words remind us we’ve all been forgiven through Christ and this truth means we can show up different, even in a pandemic.
Sure, it’s a simple idea to spout in a Christmas article but might not be easy when you’re knee deep in Christmas dinner, everyone is antsy to open gifts or the kids are fighting over who gets to play with the newest treasure. Here are three strategies to try when you feel your blood pressure rising through this year’s festivities:
Take a break. Excuse yourself to the restroom, take a walk around the block, fake a nap, hide in the biggest box you can find - whatever it takes - find a way to get some space to refocus and remind yourself to respond in kindness and forgiveness.
Employ empathy. Whether you’re new on this planet or rounding the sun for more years than you’d like to count, 2020 has been tough for all of us. Offering others the grace and compassion you’d like to receive can go a long way toward healing strained relationships.
Keep your perspective. At the end of the day, Christmas is just one day and it’s meant to be a celebration. If you have family drama to deal with let Christmas be the day you leave the issues behind and focus on the fun. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you forget pain, it just means you know you’ve been forgiven and can move past the hurt toward healing. It’s okay to decide to deal with the pain another day.
Family at the holidays can be tricky in any year. When we layer on the pressure from a pandemic, election, racially charged season we’re bound to need some extra grace. Perhaps this is the year kindness, compassion and forgiveness become the reasons you remember this year as the best one yet.
How do you keep your perspective during the Christmas chaos? What’s one way you can un-Grinch your 2020 Christmas?