How to Lessen Stress and Simplify Gift Giving
Are you overwhelmed with all the gifts you need to buy in the next few weeks?
Some will shop all year and stash away purchases to simplify December shopping. Others begin in early fall determined to be finished by Thanksgiving. My Dad used to rush to the mall on his way home from work on Christmas Eve to buy a last-minute special something for my Mom.
Whatever your Christmas gift shopping routine, I want to share a way to lessen your stress and simplify the gift giving process with a tradition we began several years ago.
I have a post over at 5 Minutes for Faith titled:
How the Gifts of the Magi Simplified our Christmas
We were ready for a change, and this three gift approach was perfect.
Please click on the title link to read all the details.
Here at CMB, I want to tell you a little more about the Wise Men.
The word Magi, comes from the Greek word “magus” meaning, wise men. We don’t know if they understood who it was they came seeking. We know they traveled from the East – Media, Persia, Assyria, or Babylon. We know they were religious scholars, who may have learned Old Testament prophecy from those who heard it during the time the Jews were exiled in Babylon.
Numbers 24:17:
I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel.
The Wise Men were watching the skies.
Matthew 2 says:
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw His star as it rose, and we have come to worship Him.” v. 1-2
And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! v. 9-10
The Wise Men were seekers. Seekers led to the Christ-child.
Seekers are led. Seekers find.
Everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8
Keep seeking Him, dear ones. Never stop. God is faithful. He keeps His promises. Those who seek, find.
Seek the One who is wooing and calling you. He loves You so much.
Find the blessing of worshipping and trusting the Babe of Bethlehem.
Celebrate!
Celebrate Jesus!
Simplify and bless your Christmas celebration by making Him your focus.
I love your heart, and your writing blessings me more than you could know. I will continue to seek Him until I find Him. Sometimes I miss Him, but His eyes are always on me, drawing me back to Him. Blessings!
Love the three gift idea. I wish I had started that when the kids were little!
Most years I drive myself crazy because I give the kids (four of them and older now – from 16 to 25) the exact same number of gifts (usually 5 even though we don’t spend too much overall) and I also want to spend the exact same money on them (when some I purchase on sale at great prices) and I also want them to LOOK like I spent the exact same amount of money on them. Impossible!
This year, my work on perfectionism in writing is kicking in in the gift department as well and I’m doing much better. In fact, I think i’m going to finish up my shopping this afternoon.
We are all trying to shift our spending habits – only buying the things we need and trying to develop the less is more concept. And even though we were never big spenders before, it’s still opening our eyes to how much we spend that we don’t really need.
Oh, I hear you Barbie. I remember those days of trying to keep everything fair. Most challenging.
I have loved the number of bloggers who have determined to simplify Christmas this year. Focusing on the gift of Jesus and God’s love for us removes our need for perfectionism and impressing the people around us with stuff. My prayer is to keep my heart and mind set on Him. It’s not always easy when my to do list looms large, but I’m trying to live under the covering of grace instead of people pleasing.