ÍáÍáÂþ»­

It’s early December and snow has covered up much of the outside work. It appears winter has assuredly set in at the farmstead.

After months of working in the dirt and procrastinating about getting certain things done, the weather made the executive decision that it’s time to focus on other things. Getting ready for Christmas is one of those things.

I don’t know about you, but I grew up with an absolute love and longing for Christmas to come. The anticipation began with me building a paper chain with the number of links corresponding with the number of days until Christmas. I’d hang it from one light fixture to another in our living room and clip off one link a day. It couldn’t come soon enough.

Hanging up Christmas lights was the one form of decorating my dad could really get into. We’d decorate our house, trees and the barn. The largest silo even had string lights running up in the shape of a giant Christmas tree, no doubt the biggest one around. It was a team effort including someone pulling the center of the string up by rope through a pulley, while two others stretched the ends out across the farm yard. He’d hoist us kids up in the loader bucket of the tractor to wrap lights around evergreens in the yard.

We didn’t stop there. We’d go to my grandpa’s house and put up his lights. We’d head to my grandma’s house and put up her lights, too.

The rush of life as I’ve aged sure has changed my outlook. I still look forward to the day to celebrate the birth of our Savior and I enjoy the many trapping that come with it. Christmas movies, Christmas music, Christmas cookies, Christmas decorations, food and other events still get me excited. But I’ve only gotten a Christmas tree and lights up so far. My collection of outdoor lights has not yet made it out of the basement.

Excitement can easily turn to stress when you are tasked with decorating, shopping and cooking for various events around the holidays. Other projects and the onset of winter has pushed back my preparations. I don’t want to lose the thrill so I did some research into maintaining that excitement that I once had, and that I hope my kids have now.

Here are some action steps that experts suggest to hold on to that excitement.

Actively visualize the upcoming event
Like when I was a child, my thoughts were on that day for weeks, not just that day, but I visualized how each of the events would be fun. I thought about the fun of getting to play with my cousins. How my dad would pass around a never-ending supply of treats that my mom produced in epic proportions.

Engage in positive self-talk
If you keep telling yourself how stressful the upcoming season is going to be and don’t focus on the good things that will come from it, you set yourself up for a lot of negativity and little expectation for a positive experience. If you are like me, remind yourself how much joy it’s brought you in the past. If holidays have never been fun, trying to tell yourself how much better this year will be might just make it so.

Plan small anticipatory activities
I love eating Christmas cookies, but to try to stuff cookie making into the week before the big day adds unnecessary stress and will likely result in me running out of time to make them. My wife already made some early season cookies and I plan to contribute some more soon so we can enjoy the delicious flavors of Christmas all month long. Maybe your church has events that build excitement up to Christmas. Consider following an Advent calendar and doing activities that build your anticipation for Christmas for weeks.

Share your excitement with others
I hear often of folks getting together to make Christmas treats and I think that’s a great idea. Make it less a job and more an event to enjoy with others. Driving to check out the neighborhood light displays? Fill up the car with family or friends.

As they say, it’s the journey, not the destination that means the most. Making the most of every day rather than just focusing all efforts on one day will likely lead to much more joy this season and beyond.

With so much focus on Christmas, I need to remind myself that each link in the chain of life should be cherished. No one knows how long their chain extends.