stay in touch

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

latest posts

  • The Tidal Wave of Motherhood

  • Life During COVID-19

  • My Postpartum Story

Blair Blogs

lifestyle + homemaking + motherhood

  • home
  • about me
  • mentorship
  • blog archives
    • blog business
    • cleaning
    • cooking & baking
    • disney
    • health & beauty
    • home décor
    • marriage
    • organizing
    • product recommendations
    • puppy mama
    • relationships
    • schedules and routines
    • soul food
    • travel
    • VIEW ALL ARCHIVES
  • my youtube channel
  • blair lamb design shop
  • life milestone posts
  • advertise
    • disclosure
    • privacy policy

How To Take The Crazy Out Of This Holiday Season

December 14, 2016 by Blair Lamb Filed Under: Christmas

How to Take the Crazy Out of this Holiday Season | BlairBlogs.com

Peace, joy, light, laughter, love, and rest–the definition of your holiday season–right? Oh, no? What about stress, busyness, heaviness, anxiety, exhaustion, and dread? Does that more accurately describe it? The unfortunate reality is that the second set of words, the ugly set, that’s how so many people characterize their holiday season. Yeah, that late Thursday in November through the beginning of the new year, it’s all just a blurry mess.

But, let’s be really real–it’s your choice to live crazy. It’s up to you whether to enjoy a peaceful and light holiday season or crumble under the societal weight of more-more-more.

And so, if it’s peace that you’re seeking, turn off the ever-exaggerated, always-heartbreaking news, put away the magazines screaming about the latest Hollywood scandal. Find a pillow instead, brew a cup of something warm, and lay in the glow of your Christmas tree. Pray.

Joy is what you’re after? Buy something, make something, order something, write something (simple is fine, simple is best)–wrap it up pretty and give it to someone you love. Feel the spark of generosity that fuels a fire of joy in your soul as you watch a smile break into a big grin.

If you crave light, spend time with the One who is light, who came to earth among filthy animals so that you and I can live in freedom. Go to a local church, sit in the back row if you want. As you walk out the doors, leave your burdens behind, hand them off to our Jesus. All those weighty expectations? Drop them. All the things you could have done, should have done, need to do? Life isn’t an emergency, so lay them down. There’s no soul too pitch black, no burden too heavy for Jesus.

Laughter? You need some laughter? Find the children. Your own littles, the neighbor’s kids, the girl dressed in white tights and a red velvet dress, the toddler melting down in Target with his mama whispering I’m teeeeeelling Santa! Spend time with the children if you can, or at least notice them when they’re nearby. Throw your head back, and laugh. Laugh loud, and laugh long.

If you’re aching for love this season, look at the Christmas cards you’ve gotten in the mail–little families held together by love. Look at your own family, look at your friend-family, those brothers and sisters from a different bloodline. Appreciate them. Hug them tight. Stare at your reflection in the bathroom mirror, remind yourself I am enough–I’m good enough, pretty enough, smart enough. Loving the person who God created you to be will empower you to love the people around you for exactly who God created them to be.

And, rest. Ahh, rest. Perhaps the most difficult of all. Turn off the iPads and iPhones and iMacs and iDistractyouconstantlys. Turn off the TV. Graciously say no to holiday parties and events when you can. Then, spend time resting–whatever that looks like for you. I’ll turn on Christmas music and bake, because the music from the speaker and the rhythm of crack-mix-stir-scoop is energizing and restful to my soul. But that’s me–what’ll you do? Take a walk? Talk to an old friend? Sit alone in a coffee shop? Read a good book? Lay beneath the Christmas tree? Make a craft? Write a letter? Just close your eyes and breathe?

There’s somehow this expectation that the holidays will be crazy— they always have to be so, so crazy. But what if they weren’t? What if you rejected the idea that more is more and decided instead that less is more? How would that change your heart? Friends I’m praying for you, for us–may we find the peace, joy, light, laughter, love, and rest this holiday season–and ardently reject the crazy.

// How do you take the crazy out of Christmas?

This is a repost from the archives.

Thank you for reading! You can find me online on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. If you’d like to be alerted whenever I publish a new post, you can follow me on Bloglovin’ or subscribe via email. Check out my fun tees in my Etsy shop and listen to my weekly podcast about simplifying life, Simplify Everything! Are you a blogger too? Check out my Blogger Mentorship Program.

Comments

  1. Olivia says

    December 15, 2016 at 12:19 pm

    I love this post so very much. I needed the reminder and believe wholeheartedly in your words. Here’s to an enjoyable holiday season!

  2. Allyson Rogers says

    December 15, 2016 at 1:57 pm

    Thanks Blair!

Hey, I’m Blair!

Blair Lamb | BlairBlogs.com

Thanks for stopping by!
I'm a small town Texas transplant, wife, and mom to two. I believe in intentional living in lieu of the world's breakneck pace and write honestly with the hope of encouraging other women. Grab a cup of warm and enjoy!
(More about me here.)

search

Browse the archives

follow me on bloglovin’

Follow

Very Pin-teresting

Visit Blair Menzel [Blair Blogs]'s profile on Pinterest.

tweet with me

Tweets by @BlairBlogs

posts by topic

search this site

Categories

  • Autumn (20)
  • Birth (3)
  • Blog Business (37)
  • Brave Women Share Stories (2)
  • Christmas (46)
  • Cleaning (29)
  • College (16)
  • Cooking & Baking (38)
  • Decorating (34)
  • Disney (10)
  • DIY & Crafts (25)
  • DIY Health & Beauty (16)
  • Engagement (32)
  • Essential Oils (1)
  • Etsy Shop (8)
  • Family Time (13)
  • Free Printable (8)
  • Giving Gifts (11)
  • Guest Post (10)
  • Health & Beauty (65)
  • Home (74)
  • Marriage (51)
  • Milestones & Memories (64)
  • Money Saving Ideas (18)
  • Motherhood (5)
  • New Home (25)
  • Nora (2)
  • Organizing (57)
  • Podcast (34)
  • Postpartum (1)
  • Pregnancy (1)
  • Product Recommendations (77)
  • Puppy Mama (13)
  • Real Food (6)
  • Recipe Roundup (3)
  • Relationships (21)
  • Rooted Series (16)
  • Schedules and Routines (26)
  • Simple Living (9)
  • Soul Food (73)
  • Sponsored Post (51)
  • Sprung Into Spring (9)
  • Study Abroad Tips & Memories (5)
  • Summer Warmth & Sunshine (26)
  • Surveys and Questionnaires (6)
  • Travel (44)
  • Uncategorized (64)
  • Vlog (32)
  • Wedding Recap (15)
  • What I'm Loving (Favorites) (19)
  • What I'm Reading (14)
Follow

Archives

Recent Posts

  • The Tidal Wave of Motherhood May 20, 2024
  • Life During COVID-19 April 6, 2020
  • My Postpartum Story March 18, 2020
  • Nora’s Birth Video February 27, 2020
  • Nora’s Birth Story | Empowering Unmedicated Birth Center Birth February 24, 2020

Recent Comments

  • maggie on The Tidal Wave of Motherhood
  • Joy on The Tidal Wave of Motherhood
  • ZG on The Tidal Wave of Motherhood
  • Rose on The Tidal Wave of Motherhood
  • Camille Hall-Ortega on The Tidal Wave of Motherhood

© Blair Lamb and BlairBlogs.com, 2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (including photos and videos) without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Blair Lamb and BlairBlogs.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Blair Lamb is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

  • Blog Business
  • Home
  • Marriage
  • Memories
  • Organizing
  • Product Recommendations
  • Schedules + Routines
  • Soul Food

Copyright © 2025 · Swank WordPress Theme By, PDCD