As the Christmas season begins (let’s not argue about that, it’s begun), I’ve started thinking… well worrying about “keeping Christ in Christmas”.

I’m not sure how to approach this, so honestly that’s why I’m writing about it.

I’d like to think of myself as a fairly religious person. I read my scriptures, pray, attend church, and have faith in Jesus Christ, but there’s something about that phrase that just irks me.

Keeping Christ in Christmas adds to my anxiety around this time of year.  Last Christmas Eve I worried stressed/worried/agonized that we hadn’t done enough to remember the reason for the season as I set out the gifts from Santa I honestly considered waking the kids up to re-read the Christmas story (which we had already done I might add) just to make sure they had an extra dose of spiritual learning before presents were opened.

I’m a worrier, so I worry that we aren’t bringing enough religion into the holiday season, and then I worry that we are ruining the magic of Christmas for our kids by not talking enough about Santa, after all my 8 year old stopped believing 2 years ago! I worry that we are making this holiday too somber and then  that our light hearted fun is taking away from the reason for the season.

I analyze and over analyze, “How is buying my kids snap circuits really going to bring them close to Christ?” and is there a present I should be getting them that will help them understand the religious part of this holiday?

I worry that we’ve listened to Jingle Bells more than It Came Upon a Midnight Clear and that baby Jesus is once again without a crib for his bed because my kids are using the manger as part of an elaborate base for the Avengers.  I worry that we’ve read one too many Santa books and not enough from Luke.

And then sometime around July (when I started listening to Christmas music) I had another thought.

What if the simple act of celebrating the season is keeping Christ in Christmas? What if part of keeping Christ in Christmas is sharing love and joy with those around us is in some small way keeping Christ in Christmas?

As we’ve studied the New Testament and life of Christ this year, I’ve been struck by just how many times Christ encourages his followers to simply love those around them. He doesn’t encourage us to judge, change, or shame people, instead the message (at least the message I got) is to simply love those around us where they are at.

I’ve decided that love is going to be our focus this Christmas season.  Instead of beating myself up that our Christmas Adam tradition includes less reading the Bible and more Avocado Smash and slurpees, I’m going to give myself a break. This is a silly night, but at the end of it my kids know we love them.

I’m going to stress less about Baby Jesus getting evicted so SpiderMan has a training facility and sit and listen as my 5 year old tells me about the game he invented. There will be time to renact the Nativity when his story and game are finished.

I’m going to enjoy the look on the kids’ faces on Christmas morning instead of worrying that the gifts are detracting from the spirit of the day. I’m going to select the things I know will bring them joy, and watch their faces light up when they open their gifts.

I’m going to spend less time explaining why the Little Drummer Boy was playing his drum, and more time belting out the words with my kids every time we listen to the song in the car.

I’m going to snuggle up and enjoy the Christmas movies more instead of cramming in one more lesson. There’s a good chance that all they get from our Christmas movie experience is that Mom and Dad took time out to snuggle them on the couch, and that’s ok.

We’re stilling to  read the Christmas story, sing Christ themed Christmas songs, and talk about the “reason for the season”, but this Christmas I’m letting go of the guilt. Instead of worrying that we aren’t keeping Christ in Christmas we’re going to do something nutty- we are going to follow His beautiful example and show love to those around us. Wish us luck, we’re going to need it.