Once Christmas has come and gone, and the tinsel has finally been vacuumed from the floor, many people experience a sinking case of the holiday blues. With all the excitement in the past, the daily grind seems rather humdrum. What if there were a way to change that? What if there were a way to make this Christmas the most meaningful celebration you’ve ever had, even after it’s all said and done? What if there were a way to plant some of the sweetest memories of Christmas cheer that would flourish for a lifetime?
Here are some things that you can do in your church to encourage a meaningful Christmas celebration for everyone.
1. Emphasize family.
When Christmas comes, people love spending time with family. It’s one of the few times every year when families have solid time to gather, talk, and play. Resist the urge to stack the church calendar with dozens of activities, fellowships, programs, socials, and cantatas. Sure, keep some Christmas events in there, but also encourage people to spend time with their families. Quality family togetherness will strengthen your church in a way that more and more and more Christmas activities never can. Besides, it will help to create a deeply meaningful experience for everyone.
2. Help everyone celebrate.
What about those who don’t have families to spend time with? Well what is church for? The church itself is a family, and there should be plenty of families for singles, widows, widowers, and others to spend time with. Be aware of who may be celebrating Christmas alone, and usher them into the warm celebration of a family circle. Don’t leave anyone out.
3. Give.
Christmas is a giving time, and the church has the delightful responsibility to live this out in our communities. Encourage giving — the kind of giving that is joyful, hopeful, free, and generous. Give to the needy. Give to the poor. Give to the community. Give to friends. Give, give, give, and it will make for a Christmas that is meaningful beyond what you could ever imagine.
4. Rejoice.
Christmas comes with a lot of emotions and attitudes. From hopeful anticipation to grateful thanksgiving, we recognize that Christmas is a celebration of a revolutionary event — God becoming a person, and dwelling with people. The implications for humankind are enormous. There is one overriding attitude that should characterize us: Joy. This is the experience of the shepherds when they saw the Christ child. This was the attitude of the angels who chorused above Bethlehem. This was the response of the magi when they saw the star (Matthew 2:10). This should be our heart’s response, too. How do you rejoice? For starters, you can sing. Take half of a service time to just sing through all the old familiar Christmas carols. Have a caroling event. Fill Christmas fellowships with singing. And emphasize over and again, the “joy to the world” that Christmas means.
5. Understand the true meaning of Christmas.
It sounds cliche, but it needs to be said. Get a grip on on the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is nothing but a glittering holiday (and a major headache) unless we really understand what it’s all about. It’s about Jesus, coming in the flesh. It’s about God, rescuing humankind. It’s about salvation. It’s about God’s glory, and our redemption. It’s one of the most incredible events in the history of the world.
Christmas is only meaningful when its true meaning shines forth in every aspect of your celebration. As you meditate on the meaning of Christmas, you won’t be able to help but have a wonderful, meaningful, rewarding Christmas — without the holiday blues.