Swapping Overwhelm for Holiness This Christmas Season

By Tori Stone

Church Magazines

What if we stopped trying to make Christmas perfect and instead filled it with holiness?

illustration of a woman feeling peace in front of a Christmas tree

Have you ever cried over a Christmas tree?

I have. Blame it on the effects of pregnancy hormones, but tears were shed when my husband informed me that our new tree might have to be returned due to faulty lights.

When he broke the news, all I could think about were the hundreds of people on social media who had their trees up early, their Christmas schedules right on track.

This story probably sounds as ridiculous to you as it does me. But how often do we burden ourselves with keeping up with others, even when we can’t afford to financially, emotionally, or physically?

It’s no wonder a lot of us feel a little burned-out.

But instead of filling our Christmas season with the stress of meeting unrealistic expectations, we can fill it with holiness.

The Holy Night

The first Christmas probably felt far from perfect.

In the first place, delivering Jesus Christ in a stable was surely not part of Mary’s plan.

She didn’t give birth to Jesus in her hometown. She wasn’t even in a crowded inn. Instead, she delivered her baby in a stable, likely with cows or donkeys nearby.

Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, former Young Women General President, said: “Heeding the angel’s invitation to ‘fear not’ and now preparing for Jesus’s birth, [Mary and Joseph] were able to let go of any expectations for comfortable lodging and instead settle in a quiet, lowly stable. But what must have felt like a stark setting would not remain so. The Lord would soon fill that hollowness with holiness.”

Mary might have thought that this night was far from perfect—especially for the birth of such an important baby. But imagine the holiness that must have filled the stable and her heart as she welcomed the Son of God.

We recite how Mary “brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

The imperfect parts of that night were made holy through the Holy Infant.

Filled with Holiness

So what does this have to do with feeling exhausted from trying to keep up with the ideal Christmas we think we’re supposed to have?

Like Joseph and Mary, we can also let go of the expectations we burden ourselves with and allow Christ to fill us with His holiness.

It’s not bad to decorate for Christmas, to exchange gifts, or to throw holiday parties. But when we pressure ourselves to meet imagined expectations for a picture-perfect Christmas, we lose sight of what’s most important.

When you put the star on the tree, do you remember the new star that shone at the birth of Christ? When you hang up strings of lights, do you remember the Light of the World? When you wrap presents in shiny paper, do you remember that Jesus Christ is the greatest gift ever given?

Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited us to bring more holiness into our lives—and the Christmas season is the perfect time to start. He taught, “Holiness to the Lord says yes to the sacred and reverent, yes to our becoming our freest, happiest, most authentic, best selves as we follow Him in faith.”

By making room for more holiness in my holiday season, I have become free from the pressures of the season. As a result, I can offer my best self to Christ this Christmas and truly ponder the holiness and peace He brings into my life.

So maybe it’s time to evaluate your to-do list and put holiness at the top.

You don’t need matching outfits, velvet-flocked ornaments, or handmade garlands. It’s OK if you’re not bringing a significant other home for the holidays, if you miss some celebrations because you’re studying, or if you don’t have your life planned out.

And it’s OK if your Christmas tree isn’t working properly.

All you need is Him.