Countdown to Christmas (12/22/2025)

Last evening, I sat and stared at our Christmas tree and let my mind wander back to other Christmas seasons, Christmas trees, Christmas memories. This time of year is special for us as Christians because it marks our Savior’s birth. And the Christmas tree has come to be a symbol of God’s promise of life with Him which is everlasting and which began with Christ’s birth.

As I sat, my mind visited multiple eras of me as a child, of me as a parent of young children, of me as a grandmother with a house full of family. Each had its own blessings and challenges; each had its own look. But always there were the nativity scenes, the nativity story, family time together, and our special meals. I closed my eyes to better play the memories in my mind, and unfortunately, I took an accidental nap.

When I woke up from my short nap, I prepared my grocery list for the family gathering. We always eat the same thing: oyster stew, chili soup, homemade bread, and pies. One would think I could just save my list from year to year because the items never change only the volume. And I planned out in my mind how I’d tackle getting it all done.

I found myself smiling broadly realizing I didn’t need to bake a pie this year because the rule is that anyone taller than grandma has to help bake a pie. This year, everyone is taller than grandma. Guess that means I can sit down during the pie baking round.

With my lists of physical chores to do before Christmas, my mind shifted to the more essential spiritual list I’d made for myself. This year, my goal was to make a more welcoming space in me for my Savior. I have been working on it with prayer, with thought, with some sacrifices, some clearing out and some tidying up. But I know I’ve still got work to do. I want this year to be one of my best Christmases by striving myself to be my best.

This week will be a merry time, a time of last-minute shopping perhaps, of preparations for family gatherings, of sending off the cards we forgot earlier. Let us also use this last stretch of days to prepare ourselves to receive our Savior into our minds, hearts, souls and homes. Let us ask the Spirit for help in tidying us up and tenderizing our very being so that we might be a receptive host to the beloved Son of God.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.