Merry Christmas!
Well, five months early. 
My coauthor LeAnn Rice of She Cooks and I are offering a just-for-the-jollies, Christmas in July giveaway!
Mine includes a JOY Christmas frame, a Yankee votive Christmas candle, a Bath & Body Works reindeer car freshener and a Michael Buble Christmas cd to get you in the holiday mood.
Be sure to pop over to her site where you could win a copy of our ebook Untangling Christmas.
It will help you to get a jump start on many of the aspects of the holiday and as a result, have yourself a stress-free little Christmas.
Leave a comment telling us what your most dread about the holidays OR to what you most look forward.
Me? I dread wrapping but I LOVE buying stocking stuffers. Winner announced Friday.
Thanks, Karen. The thing I dread about Christmas is shopping and trying to find gifts for people that they would truly appreciate. I do not like buying stocking stuffers, so maybe you can give me some hints. Your book sounds like it would be very helpful. I like baking cookies, listening to Christmas music, participating in church programs, going to craft shows, and remembering the true meaning of Christ’s birth. Merry July Christmas, Karen!
I love shopping for gifts, but NOT wrapping them!
Merry Christmas! While I love the season, I don’t like the “have to” feeling of trying to do and be everything crammed into a one month or less time frame. I scaled back last year and it was wonderful. No one noticed and that too was wonderful!
I love decorating the tree and am with you on wrapping! I always seem to wait until the last minute, and then there’s soooo much to do! Ugh.
One of the things I most love about the holidays is buying presents for my loved ones. I enjoy looking for gifts that I know they will really enjoy and love to watch them open up their gifts to see the look of joy on their faces!
I love, love, love the holidays. I think about it all year long and am always on the quest for new ideas. I have a collection of McCalls, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart and other magazines that started way back in the ’80′s full of ideas that never grow old! Most of all, I like remembering and sharing that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”.
I love Untangling Christmas and purchased when it first came out.
Since I come from a large family, I miss them then all because they are 2,000 miles away. I love sending gifts but it gets expensive and I don’t want to buy just to buy but to create a memory. Help…
I absolutely LOVE Christmas. . .even more now that I have two little ones to buy for and watch get excited over the little things! I do, however, dread the Christmas shopping crowds!
)
Putting up the Christmas Village is part of our celebration.
Karen – we must be sisters!
I totally dislike wrapping – but wrapping is better than bagging, so that’s what I do. However I LOVE stocking gifts and shopping for stocking gifts – because they’re little and a total suprise, and usually much more intimate. But I think my favorite, favorite thing is setting up my Dickens village while Christmas music is playing in the background ……. sigh.
This is so exciting – Christmas in July.
I usually start Christmas shopping in May, also collecting and looking for new recipies.
Would really enjoy reading your book ” Untangling Christmas” for more ideas.
love the holidays and the music. really dislike wrapping – luckily my husband doesn’t mind it, so he wraps and i make it pretty (add bows and ribbons)
I hate wrapping the presents but I love getting together with family. I also love all of the beautiful church services we attend.
I love decorating!!
I love shopping for gifts but hate the crowds & wrapping said gifts
I most dread the holidays, Christmas in particular, because my precious daddy died 1 1/2 years ago, and holidays will never be the same…
I absolutely love the holidays…..as soon as September hits I start listening to Christmas music and decorating for Fall. I tell my husband as soon as the “ber” months start it is time for the holidays to begin in our house. I try to get things done early so that once the holidays (Thanksgiving/Christmas) get here I can sit back and enjoy it all! My favorite part is the get togethers with all my different family members! We have 6 seperate get togethers in December and I love everyone! Merry Christmas!
Would enjoy reading your book ” Untangling Christmas” for your ideas. i do not like all the shopping & spending during the holidays…..Jesus is lost in all the world’s gifts……my grandkids and kids have more stuff that doesn’t last or have eternal meaning.
I love the decorating and the entertaining!
I hate wrapping! I love putting my snowman collection on display.
I love almost everything about the season. I love the music, the decorating, the sitting and just meditating on the Lord and Christ coming as a babe. I love thinking of my grandma and how magical she made Christmas. I love the food, the gatherings, the lights, the shopping and even the wrapping!! I especially love picking out the tree with the kids and hubby. The three things I don’t like are the needles all over the floor and the taking down of all the decorations, and the pressure of Christmas day running to see all the family when I would love to just stay at home with my kiddo’s and hubby and just play!!
Ok, I dread having to MAIL out all the Christmas presents! That may sound awful, but if you notice I didn’t say I didn’t like buying for everyone. It’s the getting-it-all-wrapped-and-mailed-out-before-NEXT-Christmas that I have a hard time with. This year’s gifts didn’t get sent out until around April…::sigh::. Other than that, bring on CHRISTMAS!! Hmmmm….I think I’ll have to put some Christmas tunes up on my Pandora
.
Read your ebook last Christmas and I loved it. I am already thinking about my yearly Christmas Cookie exchange. Making plans to get it all done early and to enjoy the season with family. Jesus IS the Reason for the Season and we will be having lots of Church Christmas events to participate in as well.
I love everything about Christmas. I love all that we celebrate at Christmas. I love making it special for my kids.
My favorite thing about Christmas is teaching my kids more about Christ and His love for others with all the real tangible things. We always set up our nativity while reading the account of Christ’s birth in the Bible. The WHOLE season is always focused on Him!
I dread/miss not being home for Christmas and not being able to see my family.
I fret about “what” to buy a few of the people on my list. I procrastinate until the last possible moment & then, unfortunately, grab something. All along I was trying to think of something creative and special.
I love the music, the cantatas, and the kids’ Christmas concerts….
I love the excitement of my kids. They just thrive on the traditions of the season. Its not the gifts, its the family activities that make it a great season of memories.
My favorite part of Christmas actually happens in November – Operation Christmas Child. As a coordinator for our church, I love challenging our church body with how many boxes we can put together. Also, I have had the joy of having a 9 year old girl as my helper who has a passion for OCC and putting together boxes throughout the year. I love it when her grandma who is raising her tells me they have been somewhere shopping and she says “Nana we need that for our shoeboxes”. She is a true joy!
I love all things Christmas. Christmas Eve service at church, presents, food, but my favorite is having all the family together and enjoying each other.
I most look forward to being with family. As one of 7 siblings, and the only one who moved away from our small, coal-mining, Kentucky town, I miss so many family “happenings.” I enjoy the drive through the mountains and the aroma of coal burning in fireplaces as I get nearer my parents home. Presents are nice, food is wonderful, but nothing matches the love of a family. A unit of people who don’t always agree, who often argue, who sometimes offend, but stand together when life gets tough.
I love the first moment when the grandchildren walk into the front room and see the decorations and the tree with all the houses under it. They will play with the little people that go with the village, and the rest of the decorations every time they come over for the whole Christmas season. Oh the joys of being 4 and 6! Love it!
since we basically get ignored by siblings and parents focus on their friends and our other siblings, and we usually don’t have a lot of money to buy lots of presents, is that usually right before or right after christmas our second child and her family come and enjoy them and especially the grandkids.
I love Christmas! But the biggest stress is just getting it all done. Making time for all the fun things we want to do, plus all the things we have to do. Thanks for the giveaway!
Oh, I LOVE making cookies with my kids, but I dread the “how-are-we-going-to-pay-for-this” struggle… (Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!… I’m new to your blog… Sally sent me
)
My eldest daughter’s bday is 12/20 so I loathe explaining to relatives how NOT to combine the two “holidays” for her AGAIN! However, I love Christmas morning and the precious time we spend together.
Dread finding the perfect gift, love Chirstmas Morning!
I dread leaving chocolate where our blind old basset hound can find it and then coming home to a mess and a sick dog. We warn people to tell us if there’s food in a gift, and we now put candy a minimum of five feet off the ground. Unfortunately our Stannie has made a trip to the vet into a holiday tradition. I love Christmas music and participating in Advent Conspiracy at our church.
I love preparing my girls’ hearts for Christmas with advent activities and donations to help others, but I’m not a fan of family scheduling drama. Merry half-Christmas!
I just keep hoping every year that Santa brings a puppy! Then, I think, “what am I thinking?” NOOOO SANTAAAA!! Don’t bring a puppyyyyyy!!! Then back to, “Awww, please Santa, bring a pupppyyy!!” My husband, needless to say, has NO IDEA what “Santa” is supposed to do! ( I hope it’s a puppy!,) hahaha
I always worry about what to buy!!! But I love celebrating with family
I love absolutely everything about Christmas! It is my favorite time of year. My son gets excited and it jist seems as if most people are happier and kinder. The part I like least is the fact that the retail stores start putting Christmas out before Thanksgiving.
I Love, Love, Love Christmas! I start decorating in November! Love decroating with Christmas music and my favorite movie “Miracle on 34th Street”…… Love shopping for our tree (yes it is a live one..) with our girls – even though they are older now.. and decorating it…. making cinnamon buns Christmas morning…. we all look forward to my husband’s turkey – yes he makes the turkey, the dressing is amazing!!…. love the gatherings of family and friends…. And i LOVE that frame with JOY and the stars
and MOST of all… remembering the birth of our saviour JESUS CHRIST…..
The day after Christmas.
Wish I could avoid most of the concerts and parties.
Love Christmas eve. The cozy warm feeling.
I love picking out gifts for people that I know they will love – I love baking cookies!
I don’t like the holiday crowds so I get my shopping done early! I love going to Christmas Eve services!!
I enjoy wrapping. And buying stocking stuffers. And of course – celebrating the birth of my Lord and Savior. I get stressed about having so much family at the house and all the drama that follows.
I Love the Holidays but I hate the pressure to give the perfect gift and that the whole thing is over (christtmas morning) is over in less than an hour and then you take it all down (by yourself) the next day.
I love so many parts of Christmas, but do not enjoy shopping for someone who I have no idea what they really would like. Wrapping is actually fun for me as hubby and I do it all on Christmas Eve. We pull everything out, sit and wrap and talk and sip tea and enjoy being together.
Thanks for the lovely giveaway.
I don’t necessarily dread it, but I do procrastinate when it comes to sending out Christmas cards. This is because I feel that I have to write in each one. I love when we go out looking at all of the Christmas lights/decorations.
My favorite Christmas activity has become working with the kids at my church on their annual cantata. Seeing them excited about sharing Jesus with others makes the holiday so special. The thing I hate most is wrapping gifts. I try to do everything I can to get out of it!!
I dread dealing with Christmas tree lights. They are always a mess no matter what I do! I look forword to putting Christmas decorations on our 2 trees (fake ones).
I dread Christmas shopping! It is always so busy in the stores! Thanks for the chance to win! (Michael Buble is the best!)
I love decorating the tree with my 4 year old (at Christmas time) son. Also looking forward to having Christmas this year with our newborn baby.
I dread how busy it get’s at Christmas. and taking all the decor down when it’s over. I would much rather decorate, so much funner! .. I love buying gifts and stocking stuffers as well.
Merry Christmas! One year we actually did celebrate Christmas in July with a dear friend of mine. I love Christmas music! Then there is the sitting with just the Christmas tree lights on reflecting on Christ, family, the season…enjoying the peace and beauty of it all.
Love love Christmas but dread the chaos and running around!
I love everything about Christmas!! The thing I love the most is the candlelight service on Christmas Eve. It is so beautiful and it is the one time of year that my entire family is together at church.
Yes, I do NOT like wrapping gifts, but like many other Christmas activities like Christmas Eve at church and family get togethers ………….
I also dread wrapping, but love baking, decorating, and especially look forward to our Advent devotional by Ann Voskamp!
I love the excitement leading up to Christmas. I love watching all the tv specials with my kids, baking, listening to Christmas music, etc. The sights & smells of Christmastime are what I love most. I do not like fighting the crowds. Luckily, I don’t have to do it as much as I used to because I am a Thirty-One Consultant so my customers & I shop from the comfort of our living rooms surrounded by good friends & those sights & smells I love so much!!
I am pitiful when it comes to wrapping, but I try when it doesn’t fit the bag. My oldest granddaughter turned me green when she was 4 and learned about recycling……so I do bags and save and do not apologize for this. My most favorite part of Christmas is the lights reminding us that Jesus is the light of the world. Before we exchange extended family gifts, we have a reading of the Christmas story by granddaughter and then a candle lighting ceremony where we thank God for His light in our dark world. Thanks for giving my spirits a jump start.
I dread the gift shopping. I like the giving, but not the shopping part. Christmas in July reminds me of a vacation at Glacier NP as a kid where they celebrated it in one of the lodges, complete with Christmas music and (I think) a tree.
I dread putting up the Christmas tree. I love it once it is up and decorated, but those little needles scratch me all to pieces in the process!
I don’t dread most things about Christmas because I try to plan all year long. I do shopping all year, and then in Oct or Nov put plans on paper for recipes, etc. I look most forward to the Advent season, doing a variety of things with my family to countdown to Christs’ birth.
the thing that I dread about christmas is the stresss of running around and being expected to be here and there and everywhere when we rather just be at home with the kiddos and enjoying the holidays
I love sharing the story of our Saviors birth, cooking, giving and loving everyone I can…….. But dread cleaning up after it all!!
Nothing like a reminder that it is never to early to start Christmas shopping. I love finding unusual gifts and saving them for special times. Nothing is more special than celebrating the birth of Jesus!
I too love the holidays but since I’m the one who does it all as fall approaches I begin to dread it. I don’t want to dread a celebration of Christ’s birth! I definitely need help ” detangeling Christmas..
I look forward to services, music, cookies, presents.
I love everything about Christmas as long as I have a plan. I used your
Untangling Christmas book last year and it helped so much.
I made my good friend a planner with all the sheets and tips, she
usually is wrapping on Christmas eve as she’s going out the door.
Last year she was finished by Thanksgiving.
I dread the fact that everyone around me puts all the meaning into “things” instead of the true meaning of Christmas….which is first and most important JESUS, second being together as a family. Who cares what you get or how many gifts you are getting. I love Christmas because Jesus is our reminder that we are forgiven because of him and being able to be with the ones you love—that is awesome. I will do everyone wrapping (i know I am weird but I love it) I pray for everyone (even though it is so far away) to have a Blessed Holiday season and remember the true meanings behind it all …..LOVE!!!
Oh, I love Christmas in July! I was just thinking today that we’re halfway there! I love the smells of Christmas – sitting at night after the kiddos are in bed, tree lights on, Christmas music playing and wintery candles burning. I also look forward to fun activities with my boys all month long. Would love, love to win this giveaway.
The things i love about Christmas and holiday season are everyone just seems much nicer. I get a warm cozy feeling inside and i love the smells and sounds of the season. Its funny i love this time of year so much that i love watching christmas movies and listen to Christmas music even in the heat of the summer. The things i dont enjoy the most are the hustle and bustle of the shopping and buying and the have to-do list. This year i want to get it done early so i can enjoy it more. I wish everyone a Happy in July Christmas!!
I love Christmas….probably my favorite part is watching all the excitement and anticipation of my 3 children. My least favorite??? that’s hard….there’s so many things I love about the holidays….maybe trying to find a great gift for a hard-to-buy for person
I love Christams! I love everything about. it. There is always so many things I want to do . My least favorite thing is that it goes by so fast. I just wished I could make it a little longer so I can get it all in. Would love to win your giveway. Merry Christmas in July!
From the music, picking out and buying presents, all the activities to celebrate the Lord’s birth, seeing the wonder on my children’s faces, having fun with family, cooler weather since I live in Texas, celebrating my wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve (19 yrs. this year!), looking at lights, picking out a tree and decorating it., Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. I just love it all!
Don’t like all the shopping and running from store to store. Love the decorations, baking, music, and most of all Christmas morning with my family!
I love pulling out all the ornaments I’ve collected over the years and all the memories that come with them. Christmas is hard, though because we live so far from family and it’s usually a lonely time for me.
I am most looking forward to the wrapping, and of course I wait until the night of the 24th to start!!
LOVE THE TIME CRUNCH!!!
Love Christmas Eve- shopping with my daughter for all the grandbabies!!!
OMG this is great I too LOVE CHRISTmas in July we use to have a group of gal pals who would do Christmas in July parties yay we would begin planing at this point for all of our holiday plans ……..My most favorite time to look forward to is putting up the tree around the fireplace and my least fav. is the tear down means the season is coming to a screeching end seems to go by faster and faster in my older years with kiddo’s
I love the decorating. I enjoy getting good deals throughout the year for gifts- but I don’t like to have to do high-priced shopping on those items I can’t find inexpensively. I used to enjoy baking until I developed food allergies. I LOVE the music!
Thank you & Merry Christmas in July! I love Christmas and all that goes with it — especially the excitement of my 5-year old after he sees what Santa has brought. What I dread is going in the attic to get all the decorations down.
Trying to find something for the ones that are hard to buy for.
I LOVE the Holidays…beginning in Nov. right through to Jan. Christmas is my absolute favorite…I love EVERYTHING about it…the music, the cool temps, the decorations & twinkling lights, the family & friends, the church services, but most of all the feeling that is in the air….so many people who “take the time” give to others, who recognize, thank & worship our Lord and Savior…AHHH!!!
The thing (well, the one day inparticular) that I dread the most though is December 26th …..just knowing things will return to the same ol’ way & world it was before.
Buying stocking stuffers is my favourite… and my worst is wrapping presents!
I really enjoy making cookies, candies, and all kinds of Christmas foods. A few years ago I decided that since trying to buy gifts for everyone was sooo stressful, i started giving baskets filled with my homemade goodies to families instead of each individual person (I have a very large family). Everyone is happy!
I don’t hate wrapping anymore at all. I shop the after-Christmas sales for great deals on beautiful bags. Wrapping in a flash!
I love just the feel and the smell of Christmas!! It’s such a beautiful time of year to give extra focus on Jesus’ gift to us.
I do need help on making it more organized and would LOVE to read your book!
I love Christmas! I already am thinking about a new spot for the tree. This year…the middle of the living room floor! That’s rignt, the middle of the floor! If it turns out like I envision it, I may post pictures on Pinterest.
I have a hard time with shopping-wanting to find a gift they’ll love. I love to wrap with the Christmas music playing and hot chocolate to sip on.
Love the fact that Jesus was born to save us from our sins.
I love the holidays!!! I love the feeling in the air and the thought of Jesus in the manger! I dislike wrapping too, but love the art of gift bags!!!!
I love Christmas…I enjoy the family and the reason we celebrate. I don’t like the financial stress it causes
or the attitudes of ungratefulness. I want others to be sastified with Jesus being THE reason and not the gifts being the reason.
Yes, please! I love, love, love Christmas! Everything about it!! Of course, my birthday is 2 days before Christmas, so that just adds to the general excitement.
I love buying/making gifts, but I hate having to wait last minute due to $$$ or time management issues. Maybe I should start now
We just dread seeing and buying “stuff” for the family that you only make plans to see once a year. It seems like we’ve been doing Christmas as an obligation…we have decided that somehow, this year, we are going to do Christmas for us, to surround ourselves with reminders of Jesus instead of obligations. Somehow…
I don’t look forward to wrapping gifts. I normally put it off until the last minute and then do it all at one time. (that’s my problemm)
Christmas is my favorite!!! There is something about the music, lights, smells, sounds that are just wonderful… One of my favorite things is a stocking full of surprises. Even more fun I love giving Christmas away. Blessing others whether with things they need or just unexpected.
My favorite part of Christmas is the decorations! I love making the house cozy and welcoming and putting out all my various nativity scenes. My least favorite part is the cookie baking. I seem to always start too late in the season because I’m busy doing other things and end up being stressed trying to make all the beautiful, varied cookie plates I envisioned.
I dread not being able to do as much this year for Christmas. My husband was coaching football the past several years, and always we would use the extra pay towards Christmas. We had been talking about a family trip to Disney this year in place of lots of gifts, but none of that will happen. My marriage is hanging in the balance….really in God’s hands as my husband had to resign his coaching position and is currently living apart from our family. So I dread Christmas this year….I don’t know what it holds for us.
I like everything looking so festive, the music and the excellent smells. I don’t like how tired I feel most of the month trying to make sure we enjoy all of it. I wish it could be spread out some so the three months that follow Christmas didn’t seem so long.
I dread the shopping! But I love the giving:)
I love decorating my tree and I listen to Christmas music from Thanksgiving on! BUT Not a day before Thanksgiving!
I so looking forward to fixing up Christmas tree with my boys. I so dread shopping for gifts for my boys!
Planning all of the gatherings and trying to make everyone happy while preserving everyone’s various traditions can be exasperating! But reading these posts has been inspiring! Thank you all!
Hi Karen,
I really don’t like shopping as it is so I really dislike having to get in the crowds of people and search for that perfect gift for loved ones. Thanks for all you do.
I absolutely love Christmas – decorations, music, gatherings with family and friends, celebrating Jesus’ birth, volunteering, surprises, and a pervasive good will – all of it! Well, almost all of it. I don’t like how difficult it is to pick a date for my family’s celebration – someone always seems to get their feelings hurt.
I look forward to Advent every year. I get all of my shopping, wrapping, decorating, and cards done before Advent begins. Then I sit back, realx and enjoy the beautiful season of waiting
What I look most forward to – Christmas lunch with my family and the sharing that is done. Always a new poem written or something special to share just before we eat and transporting Mom by ambulance to be with her family (she lost a leg due to an infection).
I love the time to reflect on Christ’s birth and how His life has changed my life forever..I love the music…the time with family and friends!
I LOVE decorating the house for Christmas. One year we left up our Christmas decorations (including our artificial Christmas tree) up until Easter!!
I love Christmas and am really looking forward to spending it with my three grandchildren – ages 2 months, 10 months and 4 years. What fun is that!
I struggle with keeping my families focus on the real reason for Christmas. With many non-believing or nominal Christians in the family, we feel pulled into their expectations of Christmas. But I love reading Christmas stories to my children, decorating the house, and putting up the tree as a family…all things that can be done our own way and allow us to focus on Jesus as our reason that we are celebrating..
I most dread the time pressure surrounding Christmas – wanting to do things and shop to make the holiday special, but not being able to stop the rest of life to make Christmas enjoyable. I most look forward to the music.
I love the baking and picking out the perfect gift for everyone on my list… and the snow, and decorating, and the music, and being with family… I love it all!
I look forward to home cooking and wrapping gifts!! My fav holiday for sure!
I LOVE Christmas. The celebration or Christ’s birth, family and friends. I hate feeling rushed at the last minute if I don’t prepare in advance for it.
So agree, Karen! Wrap-a-wrap-a-wrap, they call me the wrapper. (Remember that old song?) And I gotta admit, I don’t love it. Good news is when it’s done! But there are so many things I do love about Christmas. I love the touch of kindness in the air, even in bustling busy places. I love the lights everywhere, a powerful reminder of The Light of the world. I love sitting quietly in my living room, after we’ve gone to midnight services, all the gifts are under the tree, my husband and I have taken a few bites out of the carrots and cookies left for the reindeer, the breakfast frittata and Land of Nod cake is ready for the morning, and we just sit looking at our beautiful tree full of the memories our ornaments bring to mind. Ahhhhh…Silent Night, Holy Night!
I least look forward to running behind – because no matter how much I think I plan, I’m always running around at the last minute! I most look forward to making the gifts I’ve chosen to make for some of our loved ones.
I have been listening to Christmas music on and off all month. Would love the CD to pop in and give me that warm Christmas feeling all year through! Takes my stress level down about 5 notches. To me Christimas time and what it stands for is soothing all year long!
I think it is a shame how we have made Christmas into something other than what it is. I tell myself every year that I am not going to stress over what to buy everyone. One day I am not going to stress over gifts and try to just observe our Lord’s birthday.
My favorite part of Christmas is celebrating with our family and getting the opportunity to spend extended time with them. I love shopping for gifts, decorating and making goodies. But always find myself scrambling for time. I love the idea of your Untangling Christmas book. I think it would be great!
I LOVE Christmastime! I love to wrap gifts!!! The part I dislike is cleaning the house for company.
The things I dread the most are trying to get everything out of the attic and decorating the tree without everyone here. It has always been a tradition that we all get together and decorate the tree together since the ornaments belong to my children (I give them a new one every year). This year my oldest (who is getting married in Oct) may not be home for Christmas. My middle child does not know if he will be here (he is a Marine). My youngest is 16, works; and he is not thrilled about the idea of it only being the two of us this year.
The thing I like to most about the holidays is making new memories. : )
I love Christmas decorations, music and most importantly celebrating the birth of Jesus. However, I dread trying to find the perfect gift on a very limited budget but really do love stocking stuffers. Digging into my stocking was always a favorite childhood memory. This year will be tough as this will be the first year my husband will be without his parents. His dad passed away two years ago & we just lost my mother-in-law at the end of May. There is some tension between the brothers that I hope can be resolved. One of my brother-in-laws is not saved and really struggling with the death of his parents. He has been attending our church from a distance – we meet in a tent and he stays on the outer edge of the tent. But I know he is hearing God’s word and he keeps coming back each week. Please pray for Dale that he will accept the marvelous gift of salvation. Thank you God for your faithfullness to us!
It will be here before we know it! Any help in taking out stress and experiencing the joy of the season would be great!
I love everything about Christmas! It’s always been my favorite time of year! And now I get to act like a child again with my GRANDchildren……my “grandJOYs” as I call them. Now, Karen, you KNOW I NEED that “JOY” picture frame, so I hoping that my name is drawn!
JOYfully His,
JOYce
My daughter was born on Christmas Day, which led to this day being the most dreaded and the most enjoyed day of the year. Dreaded because I always concern myself with her feelings of being special or celebrated on her day. Most enjoyed because we were extremely blessed to receive her as the best Christmas gift ever and we love celebrating both the gift of Christ and the gift of a daughter on the same day.
I hate waiting until the last minute for everything, which I normally end up doing. Working fulltime and trying to take care of home and family don’t leave much planning time. And…I’m a procrastinator. If I don’t need it today, put it off another one… I love the excitement of the children and am so looking forward to my grandson (who will then be 23 months) experiencing the joys of Christmas. Please help me “untangle” Christmas this year and get things handled early!!!
My daugther was born on Christmas Day. This fact has become the most dreaded and the most enjoyed aspect surrounding this day. Dreaded because I’m always concerned with her feeling of being special and having her own day in which to celebrate her. Enjoyed because of the memories of when we met her face to face…the most wonderful gift. Overall, I love celebrating the gift of Jesus and the gift of a daughter on the same day.
Aaaah! the hustle and bustle of the season. So many years I stressed over this holiday; the decorating, the christmas baking, the buying the perfect gift for that special someone. Then realized the TRUE meaning and everything seemed less stressful and I could relax just keeping it simple – one or two of my favorite decorations, my mom’s favorite cookie recipe (Kolachy’s) and no gifts for my gifts all came from the heart in knowing God’s love and that my closest and dearest friends felt my love during this season in just keeping company with them.
I love getting and reading all the Christmas and baking. I dislike all the pressure and expectations I place upon myself! Will your book help me? Merry Christmas!
I look forward to wrappling gifts and setting up the tree with the kids and just the general pleasantness of the world at Christmastime…Ps I sure hope I win…
Hey, Karen. I love everything about the season. I really enjoy baking for my family. I try to make all the wonderful dishes our grandmother use to fix for us. This year will be extra special for I now have two wonderful granddaughters.
I love the whole thing, we start with a family Advent celebration and just carry right on through, including Christmas Eve, Day, Boxing Day and finally New Years Day we slowly wrap it up.
I love the baking, I love the secrets and surprises, and I love the songs.
I love everything about Christmas! What I dread the most is taking down all the decorations and packing everything back up and hauling it back down to the basement. I usually have some family help getting everything decorated, but funny how NO ONE wants to help put it all away!
I’ll be honest the thing I like the least about the holidays is juggling everything with my in laws. The crazy schedules, the drama over meals, the travel and expense–It just robs the joy out of it all. What I love the most is the quiet, the peace and the hope of the season. I love the time with my children and thier excitement. I love sharing and giving-and all of the love that seems to overcome the impossible. I love seeing family I haven’t seen all year. I love my own childhood memories that are so tied to traditions and new traditions with my kids.
The stress of trying to find gifts for extended family members that we can afford. Our budget seems to shrink yearly, and as they get bigger, they expect bigger gifts.
Our family stopped exchanging gifts (except for buying for the little ones) a few years ago when several family members were layed off from their jobs, had their hours cut, or were simply struggling in the economy. Now, instead of stressing over trying to find the perfect gift for each person, and worrying about how to afford it, we focus on the REASON for the season by attending various church services and programs together, getting together to make ornaments and decorate each other’s trees, making cookies for cookie exchanges, etc. The one concession to the gift giving is that we pick an angel from the angel tree at church and buy for a needy child. Christmas doesn’t have to be such a stressful time…there are so many ways to enjoy the season fully without stressing out.
What I hate the most about Christmas is the rushing. You rush to buy gifts, you rush to mail your cards, you rush to bake, you rush to wrap presents, you rush from house to house. What I love about Christmas is watching the excitment of my grandchildren.
I love parties, but not like 50 in one month. So the pressure to “party” is what I most dread!
Oh how fun! My least favorite part of Christmas is the shopping for gifts part. Every year, like clockwork, I wait until the last minute to shop and then stress over being able to find “just the right thing”. I’m starting on gift buying NOW so that this year the scramble will be non-existent! My most favorite part is seeing Christmas EVERYWHERE. Even though some of the decorations are secular, and few in public are Christian in nature, they still serve to remind me what season it is!
I don’t like not having enough time to shop or the expense of it all. I love the family time & all the Christmas lights.
I don’t like not having enough time to shop or the expense. I love the family time & all the Christmas lights.
I love Christmas? I mean who doesn’t? It’s the day OUR savior was born! God bless
Christmas is my favorite time of the year for no other reason that the meaning behind it. I have had a little (ok, a lot) of trouble dealing with Christmas the last 3 years. My husband of nearly 30 years left me and that same year my grandmother who adored Christmas passed away a week before Christmas at the age of 101. Yes, she lived a long wonderful life. But, I don’t seem to be able to get back into the Christmas spirit. And I have a 2 year old grandson now, so I have to find a way to get back to the reality of Christmas and find a way to let go of the past.
Merry Christmas a few months early…….
I hate taking decorations down.
I love Christmas because I get to spend time with my two girls and seven grandchildren. I love Christmas music because the message is in the songs and everyone listens. I do dread figuring out what to buy for everyone but, maybe I’ll do homemade this year.
What I love about Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus.What I dread about Christmas is the hussle and bussle of shopping and putting up the decorations.
I love it all! My favorite thing, I must admit is also the stocking stuffer purchases. I love seeing the eyes of loved ones as they take each layer out of their stocking. It is my joy to see this in their everyday lives with Jesus, too! Merry Christmas, in July, Karen! I loved experiencing you at She Speaks this year! I am blessed because of your obedience!
Robbin Coleman
I love the feeling of warmth and love at church, and the closeness that remembering Christ’s birth brings to all. I adore watching my daughter Christmas morning…she still believes!
I hate the rushed feeling, and not getting everything accomplished on time. For the past 2 years, I’ve managed to get the tree decorated a whole week before Christmas. Where I live, a lot of folks get it up after halloween and are completely decorated by thanksgiving. It’s a little (okay, a lot) of annoying pressure!
There is nothing that I dread about the holiday’s, I look forward to them especially the cooking and the family decorating the house, I buy am now doing home baking for the holidays, that way everyone in the family can enjoy and edible gift, chistmas is harder now because I do not have my husbands father with us any more who passed away on Christmas day 2009 and my father who passed away in May 2010, they both never had the opportunity to meet our first grandchild who was born December 2009, Joy and Sadness!
I LOVE everything about Christmas, but my favorite part is the meaning behind Christmas. I love decorating my home, listening to Christmas music, spending time with family, and church candle-light services! My least favorite part about Christmas time is how so many people get caught up in receiving gifts that they forget the true meaning of Christmas.
I love the magical baking of cookies and candy and the gifts I give to those who
really need them. Love the lights, music and singing too!
Love Christmas lights, dread putting all the stuff away after the holidays. Thanks for the giveaway.
I love spending Christmas with my family, but dread the drive (and the traffic, and often times the snow) that goes along with it.
I hate to wrap presents, but sure do love to unwrap them!
There is a lot of stress over the materialistic side of the holiday season. I most look forward to the real meaning of Christmas. When i focus on that everything else becomes so much more enjoyable. My children are still really little, but are starting to understand the real meaning of what Christmas is all about. There is no greater joy than watching my curious babies soak in the knowledge of The Lord.
I LOVE baking cookies!! For the past 6 years I have been baking cookies for my husband and his fellow airmen. I bake about 7 different kinds for a total of about 20 dozen cookies. I then put them on large trays and deliver them to his work. Our armed forces work so hard and this is just one little way I like to thank them at the holidays
My favorite thing about Christmas is the Reason for the Season…I sing in a Christian music group and at Christmas time we learn all sorts of of new songs and go out to different congregations to sing the good news through song…It’s such a blessing to me and I pray others are brought to Christ through our Ministry.
I love the music, decorations, goodies, and most of all, gathering with family!
Love church services and the season of Advent. Dread the commercialism.
I love the holidays! What I dread most about it is the aftermath clean-up! We seem to be busy visiting relatives and enjoying all the new toys that the house looks like a disaster zone when it’s over. And who has any energy left to clean and put away all the beautiful decorations!
My favorite part of the holiday season begins Thanksgiving weekend when we transform the house with our tree and decorations.; I love the Christ-centeredness of our activities and traditions we share with our tween and teen. My least favorite part is when everything is packed back in the boxes as the season comes to a close.
I love the decorating and baking. I miss not being with the rest of the family.
My favorite part of Christmas is decorating and the services at our church. What I dislike is the added stress I put myself through. I’m a procrastinator and we all know how well that works!
I love spending extra time with family but hate the feeling of having to buy presents for everyone – my side of the family overdoes it every year.
Christmas is the best time of the year!!
I dont like the stress of trying to make sure i have bought everyone a gift and then realizing i have overspent!
I love the music, the decorations, smells, going to look at Christmas lights, partys with family and friends and the over all feeling of Chrstimas!
Can’t wait!
I LOVE wrapping gifts. Always have. Not crazy about all the crowds at every store starting in Nov! Merry Christmas (in July) to you too! ????
I Love the cold weather and all the fun activities that the season brings. I love reading the story of Jesus birth to my little girl and getting together with church family. I don’t like not having a special someone to share the day with. It gets lonely if I think of my situation and don’t focus on God and what He has promised me and done for me.
I love giving gifts to people and the joyful celebrations.
I most look forward to sitting in a big circle and watching all the kids open presents.
Our Christmas eve dinner…we dress up and eat in the dining room. Afterwards, we open our ornaments gift and our pajamas and read the account of Jesus’ birth….
I dread the empty seats at our tables. Those that have gone on ahead leave us lonesome and sorrowful at Christmas. But, God is there and He takes away some of the hurt. After all it’s His Birthday.
I love Christmas in July! One day of our staycation we did just that – stockings, hot cocoa, iced upside down waffle cones as Christmas trees, watched Christmas DVDs. It was fun! I love decorating the Christmas tree and picking out crazy stocking stuffers.
Christmas is truly my most favorite holiday…it is one of the happiest memories from my childhood. I most love setting up my nativity scene and re-telling the Christmas story with my children. After we hear the story, I love sitting back and listening to them re-tell it to me or other visitors to our home. If we aren’t busy doing that then I LOVE to bake…with my children. They have the most fun while getting flour everywhere….the happy memories I have. As far as what I dread….is the fact that our money is so tight it would squeak if it could and trying to get a little something for everyone while trying not to go overboard. My children learn that it truly is about Jesus and not the amount of gifts we receive…
Merry Christmas!
Smiles & Blessings,
Robin
I enjoy our family tradition (this will be our 3rd year) of 24 mini stockings, each with a family activity written on it for each day in December before Christmas. An idea if you hate wrapping: make “Santa” sacks. Buy some favorite, seasonal fabric (I used a lightweight plaid wool that would last forever), and sew a simple pillowcase type sack approx. 2′x3′. Pop all gifts into each family member’s sack, tie the top, and set under the tree. Helps w/all those ungainly shapes, allows you to unwrap all those absurd twist ties that frustrate kids, and get rid of all the trash early (you just have to be sneaky and hide the trash so it doesn’t give any gifts away).
I love everything about Christmas except the fact that I am not the most organized person in the world so I tend to be in a rush when I’m doing anything! I especially love cutting down Christmas trees with our three kids, meager as they may be in the az forest!
but my absolute favorite thing about Christmas is re-focusing our family on what it’s really about and stepping back from what the world sees as Christmas and making sure our eyes are focused on the best gift of all, Jesus.
I LOVE spending time with my family. I buy gifts all through the year as I see things I think they would like, so the shopping aspect is DONE LONG before christmas and I can enjoy spending time with my family and friends!
{Kathy} I am so glad to be talking about Christmas in July! Thank you for your push to start working on it NOW!
I look forward to family, friends, and special memories. A celebration of Jesus!
I dread having all the stores decorated before Halloween is over – I want to finish each holiday before starting another.
Family together.
I enjoy wrapping gifts even though I don’t wrap a gift very fast. This Christmas I plan on helping people in my apartment building wrap and deliver school supplies to the kids at the poorest elementary school in my area. I know this will give me a lot of joy.
I feel like I am celebrating Christmas in July. In April I was cleaning and reached up to scratch my neck when I noticed a sizeable lump. Went to rapid response and was told my blood pressure was extremely high and I probably had thyroid cancer. My dr retired 19 years ago and I havent had need for a dr. To make a long story short I was found to have an abnormally large nodule. After four hours of surgery and my heart deciding to “pause” for eight seconds I am five weeks out of surgery. Incision almost unnoticeable, pathology found no cancer, and I dont have to take medication or anything. My 2 yr old grandson would say boo boo ok mamaw and say “I pway” and my 5 year old grand daughter prayed continually. I am normally very emotional but i have to say the prayers of family and friends carried me through all of this. I felt like I was in a bubble that floated everywhere. I could see and hear everything, but God froze my emotions so that I wasn’t crying all of the time. I cry every time that my kids and grand kids leave our home and that is multiple times a week. My family was amazed at how strong that I was but it was all God! I think I am even more excited for the holidays this year to just sit and hug on family and friends and not take so much for granted. God has blessed our family so much this year and I will give him all the glory and praise! Plus I am reading your book on hospitality. ;D blessings to you!!!!
I love Christmas . . . my favorite aspect of it is doing relaxing things with my children all month long. I dread the extra commitments that arise with the holidays, though.
Everything about Christmas is my favorite!!
Riding around neighborhoods looking at the Christmas lights, Christmas music playing, decorating, wrapping, shopping, finding that perfect gift for someone, the Christmas musical at church, the manger scene, even family get togethers!! Got to love them all!!
The thing that I dread is that my husband and I make most of our gifts(woodworkers) but he procratinates, so I hate the extra pressure that is added at the holidays to finish projects on time or give an unfinished gift. I love watching people opening their gifts!
I always look forward to attending Christmas Eve services with my family. What a blessing! I dread addressing Christmas cards and the time it takes to write personal notes, but I love to stay connected to everyone in my address book so it’s a labor of love – though I often put it off until the second or third week before Christmas.
I like to bake cookies. My family enjoys putting together packages for Operation Christmas Child Thankfully, my husband is willing to wrap presents because I truly dread it.
Living in FL & working it’s a challenge to decorate for the seasons. But Christmas has always been my favorite no matter how busy I am. Would love to have some new ideas!
My favorite gifts that I give are filling two Christmas shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Best monies I spend all season.
i love eating christmas dinner together with all my family
I love Christmas! I don’t like shopping during this time so I try to shop months in advance. During Christmas, the world appears to slow down and people seem to be kinder. As a blessed mommy, I love to see the beauty and wonder of celebrating Christmas through the eyes of our children. JESUS IS THE REASON
I most look forward to all the decorating & getting into the christmas spirit!
I LOVE Christmas decorations! I love how everyone seems a little kinder, and (unfortunately) I love the different goodies that are served at each of my friends and family’s house. I think the only thing I dread is the extra pounds I acquire during this holiday. Fortunately I live in a cold climate so I can hide under layers of clothes until I’m back to my exercise routine.
I most look forward to our Christmas Eve church service. It is serene, peaceful, and allows one to meditate on the true meaning of Christmas. I love when the sanctuary is darkened, candles are lit, and the congregation sings “Silent Night”.
What I like most is being done and I can sit back and really focus on the reason for the season, which is Christ our Lord.
Merry Christmas! I love everything about the holiday season! From the decorations, to the music, shopping, the smells. I love it all! Last year was my sons first Christmas, and it was just amazing experiencing everything through him. I’m looking most forward to him understanding more, and being more aware this Christmas. I’ve already broke out the Christmas music trying to teach him songs!
I love love love the whole season to reflect upon the true meaning of CHRISTmas. Why Christ Jesus came to this world, to die for our sins. I don’t like putting all the deco away, I hang on as long as I can.
Blessings,
Adrienne R
I love, love, love this season and every single aspect of it, but the most important is to reflect upon the true meaning of CHRISTmas. Why He came so that we can live! The part I don’t like is putting away the decorations, I hang on as long as I can.
Blessings,
Adrienne
As a single mama it does get a bit lonely around Christmas so that’s a negative. I just loooove all the decorating for Christmas! What a fun giveaway!
I love Christmas time, and this year we will have a 13 month old grand daughter to enjoy, plus my sailor and his bride will be able to make it home! Family is the BEST part of Christmas!
I love the celebration of Christmas. Celebrating the birth of Christ with the people I cherish.
I love making handmade bows for each gift and putting up decorations. I don’t like taking everything down though and I dont like how quickly the season passes!
My favorite part of Christmas is preparing for the children’s program. I teach preschool and it is so exciting to see how they learn songs and verses for the annual Christmas program. What can take away the gloomies and dreary wearies like the precious face of a child?
I love Christmas and getting together with the family but I don’t like having enough time or money to get everything done
I love the kids being out of school and being in the kitchen with them.
Christmas to me is all about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. The season also brings us together as a family. Our adult children, our son, his 7 year old son, his fiance’ and 3 year old daughter, our daughter and her boyfriend and our youngest daughter. Sometimes we have military friends or some of our adult children’s co- workers who can not go hoe for the holidays. Christmas is about the children. It is not about how many presents you can go buy for everyone, but the time we spend together celebrating the birth of our Savior. If it were not for the Birth of our Savior Jesus Christ there would not be a Christmas. I do not like all the commercial things that our society has come to celebrate Christmas with these days. I pray that we come back to what Christmas is all about Jesus.
I love everything about Christmas, choosing just the right gifts, wrapping them, giving them and watching the recipients open them. I love all the cooking, the baking and the decorating. I love the way the house smells once my tree is up. I even don’t mind the clean-up afterwards. I love the music and singing Christmas Carols. And I especially love the church services and serving at as many services as I can squeeze into my schedule. The things I dread — the bills and all the family fights and squabbles. My family has just never really figured out the reason for the season… *sigh*
I am looking forward to spending time with my son. He is in his 3rd year of college and has been working so much that he hasn’t been home all summer. He is truly the greatest son and I am very proud of him. I can’t wait to spoil him rotten over the Christmas season.
I dread the crowds but I love family time.
I love the music–can’t wait ’til @ Thanksgiving to start playing Christmas CDs and downloads. I think last year I started in early November. Also, I LOVE wrapping special gifts in beautiful paper and bows. I have a dresser in our downstairs guest room with all the necessities (paper, bows, tags, tape, scissors), and I set up an 8-foot banquet table just after Thanksgiving and start wrapping. I want the recipient of the gift to know extra special care went not only in the gift itself, but in the presentation.
Love the Christmas season all the carols and decorating. That joy frame would look wonderful in my home. Thanks for all the tip. Blessing!
I like making and decorating cut out cookies with my daughters.
I dislike the pressure i put on myself trying to complete all the things I think I am supposed to do. I like the baking and decorating and shopping, etc. I want to do all these things for my family to enjoy when what I should be doing is just enjoying time spent with my loved ones. Would love to win your book to help me. Thanks so much.
I don’t like wrapping either and unfortunately I usually put it off until the last minute.
I most look forward to family time. Every month of the year on the 25th I remind my family of how many months until Christmas!
The thing I most dread about Christmas is staying within a budget. I’d love to be able to get the grandkids the techy items they hint at already, but will probably repeat last year’s gift idea. I baked umpteen varieties of cookies and divided them into holiday goodie bags, put the bags in a’ small decorative holiday goodie box, and included a gift card to a fav store. That way, they also know that everyone got the same $ spent on them . . . however limited.
I dread the demands that are put on us to see be in certain places at certain times. I want to be able to start my own traditions with my young children and not feel like “Scrooge” if I don’t want to run all over creation fulfilling obligations. I also dread the gift buying out of obligation rather than desire. On the other side, I look forward to singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus with my children…I cry every time!
Dread the “con” of black Friday pre-Christmas sales but love being with family.
I love everything about Christmas but need to get more organized and do better planning timewise. Am relatively new to Proverbs 31 ministries and Untangling Christmas sounds like something I need.
I used to dread wrapping all the gifts too, but several years ago I had an idea that has made wrapping not only tolerable, but meaningful! I pray for the person I am wrapping the gift for as I am wrapping! It has also helped me to focus on the Lord and on others during this often busy, hectic time!
My favorite part of Christmas is time with family. Especially fun watching the excitement of young children. This year will be hard as my Granddad & Dad went “Home” this year (March & July) & this is the year I spend Christmas with that side of the family. I do not like wrapping. Do enjoy looking at each decoration & deciding where each one should go. Not quite the same significance since all my stuff went into storage when moved in with Daddy, but still fun. Probably most challenging part now is figuring out what to get/give Daddy for Christmas since he sees everything I make, & has to take me shopping.
I love the joy of the season but don’t like how it can become all about gifts and less about the reason for the season and spending time together with people you love
I love decorating for Christmas but dread/am sad when it is time to take it all down.
I love being with family. I dislike the shopping crowds.
I dread the whole gift buying thing. I love giving but never think I am creative enough and always feel the constraints of the budget.
This year I’m nervous about getting everything done in plenty of time. Our third baby is due to make his/her arrival the week of Christmas (maybe he/she will be early???
). So I’m hoping to have all of the preparation and gift buying done really early. 
I don’t like wrapping either and also feel like I save it til the last minute, which makes Christmas Eve stressful. So last year, I decided to have a Christmas wrapping party. I had an afternoon wrapping party (while our kids were in school) and had some girlfriends bring over gifts they wanted to wrap along with 1 or 2 rolls of giftwrapping to share. I supplied the treats and hot chocolate. It made the work fun because we could chat and enjoy each other’s company while we worked.
Boy, I look forward to almost everything about Christmas. The way the lights twinkle on the tree as you sit with the lights out, sipping eggnogg or cocoa. Singing “happy birthday” to Jesus with my toddlers. The only thing I don’t like is trying to make all extended family members happy on the same day!
shopping and wrapping
I love the decorations, but would hire out the wrapping if I could. Gift bags are a wonderful thing!
I look forward to seeing my son’s face light up on Christmas morning. I feel like a kid all over again the night before with pure excitement over what his reaction will be. This year I am also excited about starting a new tradition. I will wrap Christmas story books and put them under the tree and everynight my son will get to chose a book to unwrap and us read together at bedtime.
I love the holidays. What I do not love is all the stress that comes along with them. It should be a time to relax and enjoy the reason for the season our precious Lord Jesus. I too am usually wrapping on Christmas Eve……but this year is gonna be different.
I love watching the smiles of my children as they open their presents : )
I love looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior!!!!! I love sending out cards that reflect the reason for the season. I know alot of people dont like the commercialism of it all BUT………………..We are the walking Epistles of the Lord ready to be read by all. I love just doing what the Lord has asked us to do and that is showing HIs love to all.
Why not get ahead on CHristmas and volunteer to help someone less fortunate than you with whatever they may need this year to have a really great CHristmas!, YOu never know what your generosity will do to their life. Have a holly jolly CHristmas!,,
Sue K
I most enjoy making Thanksgiving and Christ’s birth special celebrations for my family. It can be difficult going to potlucks, parties, family events, etc. and eating sugar and gluten-free at times–seeing all of the goodies that my sons can’t have, but truly, our holidays are healthy for it. No New Year’s resulutions as a result of regrets of overindulgence!!
Giving thanks for the opportunity to serve my family!
Thank you,
Elizabeth
I would love to win this book. We have not ‘celebrated’ Christmas for the past few years due to situations beyond our control. This year we are looking forward to a festive holiday. This would be a help to me to keep it festive and calm!
What I love is making the Christmas dinner because it is the one time my family all sit down together for a meal.
Dread the crowds. Love the decorations, especially the lights.
I love Christmas with my family and making it special for them. I don’t like the repetitive songs they play in every store while I’m shopping for the gifts, though.
Christmas music is at the top of my list of favs. Sometimes we start listening to our Christmas cds in August. I even snuck one in last week! A place in our home is always reserved for a special Navity Set. It is a hectic time of year, but try to find time to make cookies and simple gifts to share.
I look forward to everything about Christmas! I love that time of year! Decorating with my children, (my youngest will be 12 this yr. and it may be the last he will really enjoy that with me) I love our churches “Hanging of the Greens” ceremony, the smells of goodies baking, pretty packages, cider, Christmas movies, plays and cantatas! Just ALL the joys of the season!
My only dread is, the fact it goes so quickly!
I love CHRISTMAS! Just yesterday as my husband and I were out doing chores on the farm he started singing a Christmas Carol! I told him he was teasing me and was going to make me want to go out and do my Christmas shopping! This is when I would love to do it all when there is lots of time to think about it and give neat personal things for each. I usually get the fever in August! I always have many ideas of what I would like to do each Christmas but every year run out of time and say maybe next year! If we could all mostly be ready by the end of November (wishful thinking!). Then I think we would even enjoy the true meaning of the season and not get caught up in rushing and missing out on spending time with our loved ones and blessing others by being able to help those in need in our community’s.
God Bless!
Hi Karen,
What I love most about Christmas is the excitement in the air & the joy on children’s faces. What I like least about Christmas is not being able to give everyone what I think they truly deserve. I know Christmas isn’t about gifts but I truly enjoy giving & seeing the glee on the receivers face when I have given them a gift the truly want, need or love. God bless, Konni
What I don’t like about Christmas is the commercialisation of it and the constant bombarding pressure of mass consumerism. Also, I’m very distrubed everytime I see the word X-mas.
My husband and I don’t decorate our home, and we don’t buy extravagant gifts for family or friends. We give gifts of the Word, whether it be a Bible or a Word centered book, a helping hand in the community, fellowship with neighbors or strangers, or simply a Christmas letter full of blessings and prayers for peace, joy and prosperity. Our families live thousands of miles away, so we spend every Christmas together at home. One of our favorite things to do is to watch TCM black & white movies and some of the old Christmas movies while we bake and cook together. What I love about Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and my redemption through Him. I find that Christmastime is a wonderful opportunity to witness Him to others because many hearts are very ripe for salvation and peace amongst the chaos of worldly distractions that come with the season.
I enjoy me some extra shopping and good sales. . . but hate how Christmas has become so focused on gifts that we forget it’s about Jesus!
I absolutely love everything about Christmas! I love the warm feeling I get just driving around and seeing all the lights and decorations, etc. What I dread most is trying to figure out how to balance life during that time. My husband is a pastor of a church and as you know activities become very prevalent in the church and trying to find time just with my family enjoying the moments of Christmas is hard.
Hmmm… not much I dread about Christmas time. But if I had to pick something it might be hauling out decorations and putting it all out. Not much of a decorator.
I love Christmas morning. I usually email (my grown children) for lists of what they would like which takes all the pressure off of trying to figure out the perfect gift. They are still surprised since they don’t know exactly which one I choose!
I love Christmas – the music, the tree (real, of course) and huge ornament collection, the shopping for loved ones (I start buying stocking stuffers in the summer, usually), the church service….. everything! I dread the family group that gathers on Christmas Eve getting smaller and smaller as lovd ones die or move away or have to work. I miss the days of all four kids being home with us. I especially miss my mom, who always made Christmas so special as we were growing up.
What I dread is the work of shopping, decorating, wrapping, etc., but what I love is the nostalgia, the love and good cheer that’s in the air, and mostly the focus on the greatest gift, Christ coming to earth as our Savior!
I love everything about the Christmas season! I love the truth of Christmas. I love the decorations and bright lights. I love the smells. I love the gatherings and cooking (and eating all that good stuff). I even love the hustle and bustle of the shopping malls. But my favorite thing has to be the joy of watching my kids, especially as they’ve gotten older, appreciate the meaning of Christmas and focus less on the gifts than on the giving.
My favorite part is writing our annual Christmas poem summing up the happenings of a family of 5. I love going to the mailbox and finding Christmas cards from friends and family. I don’t like decorating and have turned it over to my 9 year old son. Then the fighting begins between him and the other kids about whether they should turn on the blinking lights! Him–no! Them–yes! Spoils the Christmas cheer when they do that!
I love having my family home for the holidays but I do not enjoy decorating the house.
I love Family get-togethers & Christmas parties. So much fun celebrating Jesus’ BD!!
I love the family time and decorations. This year will be hard, DS18 turns 19 in December, will be in boot camp for his birthday and Christmas; that’s what I dread-Christmas without my whole family
I LOVE buying presents and cooking for everyone. I love getting together and enjoying everyone’s company. I do not love the clean up!
I love the traditions I share with my family.
I love everything about Christmas! It is the taking down Christmas that I don’t like. Maybe it is because I have so many decorations! Every year I say I am not going to put out all my decorations, but when it comes time to decorate, it is like “christmas:” going through all the decorations and wanting to put them all out again! I love to bake Christmas goodies!
Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year! I love the decorations, music, baking, but most of all— the family time!! My goal is to learn to make the most of the family time! Memories are so important to me because we live do far from family that those memories keep me going throughout the year. Merry Christmas in July!!
I love the time we get with family and making sure our daughter knows what Christmas really means. I love to plan what I’m going to buy everyone. I love to see their faces when the open what I got them. I don’t like to really receive gifts but it’s fun to see how well connected we are when I do.
I dread shopping for my husband but I enjoy everything else, shopping, wrapping, the tree, etc
I look forward to making (and eating) all the special treats but I dread footing the bill for my holiday shopping sprees.
I love Christmas!!! Love to watch old Christmas movies. volunteering at church
for our Christmas program.
I dread Christmas, because I come from a divorced family and with mixed children we always seem to get the left overs and are not treated the same.
It is sad.
I love the Christmas in July gifts though.
God Bless,
Carolyn
We love traveling to family, but I dread packing & unpacking! Especially all the goodies we bring home. It helps if we’ve “decluttered” in preparation for finding homes for new treasures!
I love the Christmas scented candles during the holidays. Between our live Christmas tree and the smell of good candles in our house, it puts me in a wonderful mood!
I love Christmas! I love decorating and making yummy treats for my kiddos. I love our special Buttermilk Coffee Cake we make for Christmas morning! I love my kids anticipation! I love the beauty of the lights and wonderful candle scents that fill the house! I love shopping with my hubby for our kids and being so excited! I love picking out the perfect gift for someone! But what I love most of all is teaching my kids that all those things are great and wonderful, but there is even something more wonderful about Christmas…..Jesus! I found this great ebook last year that helped with this and made the month of December centered on the Him. It is called Truth In the Tinsel.
I love buying just the perfect little gifts for others and listen thoughout the year for ideas, but i too hate the wrapping part and the crowds. I also love Christmas music and usually start listening in November, but what i love most is the story of Jesus and His birth, of this part i just can’t get enough.
I love sending and receiving Christmas cards. I only hear from some friends once a year and I especially like the picture ones!
I love being with my family on Christmas. What I dread is just getting it all done. I am certainly no Martha Stewart – just getting the tree up is enough for me, but the kids enjoy decorating so we do it together. Love seeing it through their eyes!
I dread the financial stress of Christmas! Along with the hectic schedule but I so enjoy spending time with friends and family. I love the services at church during the Christmas Season. The songs and celebration of Jesus’ birth is such a blessing to me.
I dread the commercialism but love looking at Christmas lights with my family.
Having to have help getting the stuff out of the attic
I just love Christmas but finances are tight. I would love to do some of my shopping and wrapping now but others don’t want to think about Christmas. My children then tell me a gift they would like and then change their minds before December. Sigh………
My favorite part of Christmas is the spirit that seems to inhabit people. If only we could be so full of love, forgiveness, giving, and sharing all year long. I love Christmas, and I especially enjoy the warmth that seems to spread throughout families, friends, and even total strangers. What I dread the most is how commercialized it is. That sounds so cliche, but it’s true.
I must dread wrapping presents and put it off as long as I can. I usually try to con my daughter into wrapping my presents!
I love the music. By Thanksgiving I am ready to hear it and am happy if it lasts until after New Years.
I love giving gifts to family and friends! I also love Christmas baking.
I love Christmas!! I love to shop for gifts for my family, watch Charlie Brown Christmas, and mainly the warm, homey, family feeling the season brings, all because of a tiny, precious baby born in a manger, who came to save the world!
What I love about Christmas is shopping for everyone and finding them a gift I’ll know they’ll love. I also love seeing my kids’ faces Christmas morning. My least favorite thing is probably all the wrapping.
I love Christmas and especially look forward to putting up my 7 Christmas Trees (yes, 7, but that includes little ones on bathroom sinks). I don’t look forward to repacking it all at the end of the season. My snowman tree’s record for remaining is March.
I love Christmas! My favorite part is the togetherness on Christmas Eve. I love feeding everyone and watching the kids play. I guess the part I don’t like is wondering how I will afford it all!
the stress
Hi Karen,
Spending Christmas alone isn’t fun.
The day after Christmas is my birthday.
Last year was my 40th birthday
Spent it alone.
Merry Christmas is July!
I love everything about Christmas. I dread trying to divide my time between all of the family members who make impossible expectations for the season.
I dislike trying to figure out how to get all of the family together, because this is the most important thing to me. I LOVE when all of the family is together!! It’s stressful planning it but once it happens it’s fabulous!
I love to wrap presents! I am always on the look out for decorative ribbon and gift tags. I enjoy the hunt for the little touches to add to the ribbon or gift bag. I like to make each wrapped present that says open me!
I make many gifts for financial reasons. Trying to make time to fit that all in is very stressful and often colors my feelings toward Christmas. I try to start earlier but other obligations seem to get in the way.
My favorite time of year is Christmas. Time with family and friends. The hustle and bustle sometimes gets to be too much, but the reason for the season is so much more than the stress we create. It’s a new beginning.
Over the past several years, I had started to just dread the Christmas season at all, but I finally shook myself out of that because I love Christmas. It is my favorite holiday and just because my brother and his family hated it, there was no reason I should let that get to me.
While I am not dreading this Christmas, I am a little anxious about it, as my only child is going to boot camp (Air Force) in November and won’t be home. Being alone on Christmas was not what I had planned, but I know the Lord has a plan for me to be somewhere, just don’t know where yet and there is time. So the only thing I dread is being along at Christmas.
Growing up we never put up outdoor Christmas lights, so now that my husband and I are in a house, I get almost giddy when we put up lights outside! It is probably one of my favorite things. (That and remembering the significance of all the tree ornaments).
Ooh I so love the holidays.. I love to do Christmas baking, and decorating for the holidays.
But don’t look forward to the long shopping lines
I totally completely dread christmas shopping. Every year I say “next year i will start my christmas shopping early so i can avoid all the rush and try to save me some money, but hasn’t happened yet.” I must admit though christmas day comes around and somehow all of those troubles you go through just seem all worth it.
I keep Christmas simple and set the Little People nativity set out for the little ones to play with. I make our favorite goodies. I don’t go over board and usually make gifts.
I completely totally dread Christmas shopping. Every year I tell myself “next year i will do my Christmas shopping early and try to save me some money, but hasn’t happened yet.” I must admit though Christmas morning comes around and you get to be around family and all, and somehow all those headaches and troubles you go through, just seem to be forgotten and well worth it.