4 Practical Ways to Transform Christmas Stress into Christmas Worship
December has arrived, and I’m not sure I’m ready. I’ve been staring down my to-do list and feeling anxious. I don’t want to acknowledge that this Christmas stress is stealing my joy.
Nevertheless, I must admit that the demands of this season feel more like an invitation to stress than an invitation to worship.
Advent is the season for fixing our eyes on the coming Christ, the One who came in the flesh two thousand years ago and will come again to reign forever in glory. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised there is an enemy out to distract me throughout this season of anticipation. 
After we cut down the tree on a rainy Saturday afternoon, I take a walk beneath dusky skies.
Thunder echoes from the western horizon, and I embrace the parts of the day that felt like a success: We walked to the woods and found a beautiful tree. We enjoyed snacks in Grandma’s living room with cartoons blaring. The house was adorned with lights.
I also think of the stressful moments: Aiming to get the envelopes addressed before the little one woke up from his nap, running out of stamps, remembering three more people who will need gifts, and arguments that broke out over where to hang the ornaments once the tree was erected in its corner of our living room.
One Attitude to Decrease Christmas Stress
As I consider it all, I see one discernible difference between the moments of success and the moments of stress: A sacramental attitude.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a sacrament as a Christian rite (such as baptism or the Eucharist) that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality.
In short, a sacrament is a symbol of a spiritual reality.
I’m not trying to propose that every single act of every single day is somehow a symbol of a spiritual reality, and I don’t mean to in any way undermine the holiness of the sacraments of Christian tradition, as set apart by Scripture (baptism, Eucharist, etc.).
What I do propose is this: If we participate in our holiday tasks with the same attitude as when we mindfully participate in the traditional Christian sacraments, we will transform our stress into worship. 
Here is what this might look like:
1. Reduce Christmas stress by decorating with gratitude.
Decorating the house often stresses me out.
I struggle with the disorganization, the decisions about where to place which decorations, the strings of lights that refuse to illuminate, and the general chaos that breaks out when excited children are eager to participate.
What might it look like to decorate with a sacramental mentality?
This is not a race to see how quickly you can transform your home into a winter wonderland. Allow your fingers to feel each tiny decoration. Recall the day you received it. Pay attention to where you will place it. Remain aware that you are celebrating the most pivotal birth in human history.
Give thanks to the God who condescended to live among us and take on flesh.
You are not just trying to keep up with the rest of the neighborhood as you string these lights. You’re not merely fulfilling a cultural obligation. You are celebrating the day the Light of the World broke into the darkness to save us all.
2. Enjoy God’s good gifts as you work.
It occurred to me this fall that God is calling me to live in a more mindful way. This began when I baked the first batch of Christmas cookies.
Instead of my usual demeanor of hurrying through kitchen tasks, I slowed my rhythms. I took time to pull the measuring cups and the ingredients to the counter before I began.
I thanked God for his good gifts: for his provision to supply the flour, sugar, and eggs. Slowing down, I inhaled the aroma of vanilla.
I mixed the cookies mindfully and enjoyed the scent that filled the house during the process of baking.
In a way that is somewhat similar to mindfully taking the bread and the cup at Eucharist, the slow acts of interacting with the materials set before me reminded me of God’s goodness, his presence with me, and the reason for my baking. The mindfulness of each intentional act lifted my heart in worship.
3. Prepare with prayer.
What might happen if we stopped rushing through our card-sending, letter-writing, and gift-shopping?
Imagine undertaking these tasks with prayer instead of haste.
What if we prayed over every family who receives a card and every person who receives a gift? I believe our prayers would push aside our Christmas stress.
Try giving thanks for those you hope to bless with cards and gifts this Christmas. Lift them before God’s throne in prayer. Ask him to shower his presence upon their lives. Be attentive to any thoughts that come to mind. Write an extra note on the back of the card or add a personal and encouraging message to the gift.
Remember, this is not a call to add one more task to your list; instead, it is a call to be intentional as you bless others.
4. Reduce Christmas stress by aiming to be fully present.
I often succumb to the pressure to prepare for what is next this time of the year. One event leads to another, and I’m always looking ahead.
Planning is helpful, but we don’t need to accumulate stress with our mental lists. I’ve learned to make a list of necessities for each event. I leave the list on the fridge with a trusting heart and let it go. The list will guide me for each event.
I also mentally prepare before each event. Preparing myself for potential conversations eases my anxiety about feeling awkward. I am also able to love the person in front of me by asking questions about topics that matter to them.
Before you head to the next event, ask God to show you how to connect with others in meaningful ways. Think about what you might ask your uncle regarding his hunting season. What might you ask your cousin about her first semester of college?
Stay Present to the Christmas Tasks:
In the same way, aim to be fully present within the walls of your own home.
You might spend five dollars at the local dollar store and make your own Advent wreath. You need only a simple wreath, three purple candles, one pink candle, and a white candle in the middle.
Make time for an Advent reading each evening.
Download free Advent coloring pages for your children.
Take time to wrap presents together, bake together, and prepare your hearts together.
Gratitude holds the power to transform your December.
Lately, I’ve been recalling a year when I was too ill to participate in any of the annual traditions. The traditions I’d taken for granted for years suddenly felt like treasured gifts.
When it all starts to feel like a bit too much, pause to consider what life might be like if it were all stripped away. This is how the obligations begin to look like opportunities.
A Free Devotional Book to Help You Overcome Christmas Stress:
Lastly, I have a gift for you. Are you ready to slow down and defeat Christmas stress? Check out my free 21-day devotional Unrushed: Slow Your Pace and Embrace the Fully-Present Life. Each day of this journey will focus on your thoughts, your relationship with God, or your relationships with others. This is a powerful journey into a life that is more present. Click here, and I’ll send this free resource to your email inbox!
A Life-Changing Christmas Gift for the Mothers and Daughters You Care About:
Do you want to open the lines of communication with your daughter, connect on deeper levels, laugh together, and grow in your faith together? Maybe you don’t have a daughter, but you would love to connect with a granddaughter, niece, or younger woman in your life. Perhaps you would love to support a mother-daughter duo you care about.
If any of this resonates with you, I have a tool to help you. My 12-year-old daughter Bekah and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book together, and it is designed to help moms and daughters connect and grow in faith together.
It’s called Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a journaling section. You can buy your paperback or eBook on Amazon right here. This book also makes a powerful gift for the mothers and daughters you care about! 
Definition taken from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrament
