3 Tips to Avoid the Christmas Crash

      We’ve been building up for the past several months for Christmas. It reached a crescendo the first moment of Christmas morning. My siblings came running, flicked on the light, and shouted, “Wake up! Wake up! It’s Christmas!!”

      You open the stockings, eat cinnamon rolls, and then get into the real gift opening. Depending on how big your family is, it could take you twenty minutes, or it could take you several hours, like mine.

      Once everything is open, what happens?

      Good question.

      No families that I know of have a “after the gifts are open” Christmas tradition. It’s done.

      Over.

      Feelings of sadness start to wash over you. You start remembering the things that were on your wish list. You look at what your siblings got. You count the number of gifts everyone received.

      Then it happens.

      You have the Christmas crash.

      Here are some tips to avoid the Christmas crash:

1.      Get your focus right

      If you have a Christmas crash, you can know that it is because you do not have the right focus.

      What does Christmas celebrate? The birth of Jesus Christ! The birth of God as a man.

      I was so thankful that we went to church yesterday, even though it was Christmas morning. It was a wonderful time. We celebrated the Lord’s Supper as well as baptism. What I loved about that Christmas service was how it was not completely centered around the birth of Jesus. It was centered around Jesus—His birth, His death, His resurrection, and His final coming.

      Christmas is a time to celebrate all that Christ did for us. The gifts are part of the celebration—not the celebration.

      If your focus isn’t right, please take some time today to set aside just for Him. Ask Him to reorient your heart toward Him and to give you a thankful heart.

2.     Enjoy your family

      Enjoying your family is a wonderful way to avoid the Christmas crash. I imagine most of you saw extended family over the past few days, or have plans to do so. There are not many times in the year when entire families get together. Even if your family is hard to be around, do not write them off. Spend time with them, get to know them better, and have a good time.

3.     Cultivate a heart of gratitude

      This is closely tied with Tip #1. If you have the correct focus, you will be thankful. You cannot have your eyes fixed on Jesus and be discontent. If you are discontent or ungrateful, then you do not know Jesus well enough. It is a sign that you do not understand His work on the cross.

      Most, if not all, of us came away with more stuff or money than before. That’s something to be thankful for! Even if you didn’t get what you wanted, at least you got something.

      To be cliché, at least you’re not a starving orphan in Africa.

      That’s a cliché I now take seriously, having spent two weeks working at an orphanage for abandoned babies in Africa.

      The Christmas crash can tell you where your heart is. I challenge you to have a joyful, thankful day today counting your blessings and praising God for His work on the cross.

How was your Christmas? Did you go to church? Have you been struggling with the Christmas crash? What tips do you have for beating the Christmas crash? Share in the comments!