Christmas is the best time of the year indeed. Carols, candle-lit dinners, and confectioneries add to the charm even more. We all have unique ways to celebrate Christmas. But you can make it more meaningful this year with a little effort.
How to celebrate the occasion the best? What to do on Christmas day?
Before stressing over posting cards and wrapping gifts, read our list of ways to make your Christmas more meaningful:
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1. Gist Is Not In The Gifts
When was the last time you bought gifts when you wanted to, rather than having to? This Christmas, do not splurge; instead, buy small tokens that will be useful. Your friend mentioned buying a phone case? Go for it, it will be useful, and the bonus is that he will remember your actions every time he flips his phone. This way, you will spend less but will be able to give something useful and meaningful to your loved one.
Some such Christmas gifts ideas are:
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- We all shop on Amazon. Membership will be well appreciated trust me on this.
- Do they love to read? get them Kindle they will appreciate it.
- gift basket for coffee lovers
- self-care is crucial for health and mind, a spa basket is the best for our loved one.
- Boardgame
The spirit is not buying expensive items rather spreading joy and smiles. For example, you can give handmade gifts or encourage kids to make cute drawings for their grandparents. It will be a lovely experience and an excellent bonding session.
An even better idea is to surprise your friends with a camping trip. Alternatively, you can give the gift of time; it can be a father-son bonding session, a mom and daughter’s trip to a saloon, or a Christmas dinner with your loved one.
2. Turn Up The Meaningful Christmas Traditions
Family traditions are an excellent way to bond and grow as a family. We all have our unique ways, some of us bake cookies with our grandma, and some go to see the “Nutcracker” together. This Christmas, ask your family members what they would like. This will ensure that everyone finds the ritual fun rather than a monotonous ordeal.
Voicing their opinions will make each family member feel heard and valued. It is a much-needed aspect considering we live in a time where we are glued to our phones more than our immediate family members.
Here are some simple yet wonderful ideas for Christmas traditions:
- Read a Christmas book with your loved ones. You can start this on the first of December and up until Christmas.
- Bake gingerbread or cookies. Share with family and friends; invite them over to try to enjoy good company, cookies, and some hot chocolate.
- Go Christmas caroling or sing carols with your family at home; you can also record and have a “competition.”
3. Stay Away from Stress
With Christmas getting closer, our stress levels rise. We all panic to get the best deals and worry about setting Pinterest-worthy tables. The pressure to make “everything right” leaves us frazzled. Let go of this stress and commit to only what you can do easily. Learn to “say no” and opt to spend time with family.
You can also meditate and take time out for self-reflection. You will feel free this way and will snap less at people around you. The lesser the commotion, the more the smiles there will be.
Some easy methods to reduce Christmas stress:
- Put essential oils in your diffuser; it will keep you calm and the house full of festive aroma.
- Delegate tasks
- Meditate
- Put away your phone
- Do not buy expensive gifts
4. Put The Phone Away
Christmas is all about connecting. It is a release from our busy lives to renew our bonds and cherish time together with loved ones. Unfortunately, the screen in our hands keeps us fixed. Even if many of us sit together during the holiday season, we keep using our phones instead of talking to each other.
When was the last time you actually savored the potatoes and turkey with “mindfulness“? Hard to remember, right?
Well, you can start with putting your phones away this Christmas dinner.
- Start with putting your phones away for a short time.
- You can plan your detox session starting from first by practicing with putting your phone away for an hour and then gradually increasing it till Christmas Eve.
- This will work two ways, you will find other activities to do with your family, and your Christmas dinner will be filled with real joy, laughter, and sweet memories.
5. Host a Virtual Gathering
Many of us have been living away from family members due to Covid-19. The pandemic has marred the festive aura of Christmas. Being away from our loved ones makes us yearn for close-knit rituals and dinners.
If you are away, gather your family on zoom and have a “show and tell” session. You can flaunt your baking skills, and someone can show off their Christmas tree. It can be a fun-filled session, poke fun at each other and ask in detail how your loved ones are faring.
Some similar ideas can be:
- Watching a movie together on apps like “watch party.”
- Playing online games together.
- “Creating Christmas challenges” and tagging your friends and family. You may be the next viral creator!
6. Care for Community
No doubt, the best gift for Christmas is the gift of giving. Altruism is in line with the whole tradition of Christmas, so volunteer with your family in your community center and come to the aid of the underprivileged. Light up their faces with smiles, and your Christmas will be more warm and fantastic. It is one of the top Christmas devotional ideas.
Here are some ideas:
- Distribute warm clothing and food.
- Make a visit to chronically ill patients i promise you it will boost their mental health..
- Offer along with your kids to help in decorating the street.
- Share recipes and teach or assist in baking.
- Clear the snow from driveways.
- Take care of veterans and guide others not to be loud around their homes.
- Leave groceries at the doorstep for those who need them.
7. Play Christmas Games
What to do on Christmas day if it’s cold outside?
Commonly, the cold prevents us from going outside but sitting in our homes makes us feel bored. A brilliant idea is to play your favorite games, create new ones or introduce them if you have not yet. Let children make cards; they would not trouble you with their energy channeled in cutting and coloring new shapes.
You can also ask your grandparents about their games; they will feel so proud telling about how they used to playback in their day. Some Game ideas:
- Exploding kittens
- Sequence
- Monopoly
- Card games
We recommend the ‘Pass the Present’ game which is also known as left and right. Here’s how you play it: everyone brings a small, funny gift (A $5 limit is recommended) and wraps it the way they like. Every individual sits around a table with their own gift in front of them as a poem is read aloud. Every time the word ‘right’ is said, you pass the gift in front of you to the right, and when the word ‘left’ comes up, you pass the gift to the left. When the game ends, you unwrap the gift in front of you and guess who brought the gift.
8. Adopt The Change
With globalization at its peak, why not share the joy of Christmas with others?
What better way to celebrate Christmas than sharing the joy, breaking boundaries, and promoting interfaith harmony. People of other faith hold celebrations around this time as well. Muslims follow the lunar calendar, and their two festivals, the Eids, do sometimes coincide with the holiday season. Share your pumpkin pie with them, and be sure to get a sweet milk-based vermicelli dessert (Sawaya) in return!
Jews celebrate Hanukkah, the festival of lights, and remember the rededication of the second Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Come celebrate the winter solstice. A way which you can do this is to adopt practices. Of course, no one wants to commit culture appropriation, but adding traditions that you like can make your Christmas more meaningful.
Perhaps take the time to:
- Dig in your origins; for example, people with Italian origins host a “feast of the seven fishes: on Christmas Eve.
- Learn the story of Hanukkah and make it an interactive session with your kids.
- Invite people of other faiths in your neighborhood to decorate Christmas trees and ask them how they celebrate.
- Connect to your African-American heritage by learning about and celebrating “kwanzaa.”
- Host a St. Nicholas dinner on the sixth of December; it’s an excellent way to introduce the man behind Christmas. Santa Claus is based on him!
Celebrating this way will promote respect and interfaith harmony. These are small steps having a long-term impact on making the world a better place to live. It is one of the best ways to celebrate Christmas.
Final Words
These are some of the fantastic ways through which you can enjoy Christmas celebrations this year meaningfully.
This Christmas, make the change. In fact, celebrate for twelve days as it was meant to be! Yes, you have twelve days to make it right; you need not feel pressured! Actually, for the longest time, Christmas was celebrated for twelve days, from the twenty-fifth of December to the fifth of January. Some cultures still celebrate this way. Celebrating this way also adds meaning, and why not celebrate a festival that is all about hope and joy for a long time to come.
