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A Simple Christmas: A Faith-filled Guide to a Meaningful And Stress-free Christmas
Provides tips and suggestions for how to celebrate the Christmas season simply, easily, joyfully, and with a Christian spirit.
- GenresChristmas
Paperback
First published October 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 4, 2024
SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING OUR HOLIDAY CELEBRATION MORE ENJOYABLE
Author Sharon Hanby-Robie wrote in the Introduction to this 2006 book, “Sadly, today’s Christmas sentiment goes more like this: Carolers may be singing and tree lights may be twinkling, but inside my head I am screaming, ‘Take me away, Calgon!’ Don’t despair. There is hope, and some of it is right here in this book. My goal is to help you add a little peace and quiet to your holiday celebrations and make room for meaningful time with loved ones. As you read, you’ll find a variety of practical ideas, expert information, and insights from the stories of other people’s Christmas experiences. We’ll take it one step at a time, beginning with a reminder of what Christmas is all about. Then we’ll try to identity the problems that take us off track.
“For example, if holidays seem too hectic to be enjoyed, perhaps part of the problem is that you have unrealistic expectations about which events should be included. Many of us think a holiday like Christmas should bring us all closer and heal old wounds. Or we may think the holiday will be a marvelous time of charity and goodwill. Then we are disappointed when it falls short. I will help you appreciate that this extra burden of expectation on top of our already overloaded schedules is not only stressful but can also strain relationships. Have you ever argued with someone over what size tree to buy or at whose home you should celebrate? Under normal circumstances we could settle these disagreements reasonably but because we are all suffering from frazzled nerves, small decisions become very big issues.
“As we learn to have reasonable expectations, we can also concentrate on having an enjoyable holiday simply by choosing to live in the stress-free moment and to break the cycle of anxiety. As we come to focus on the good and the wonderful and adopt an attitude of graciousness and thanks, we will learn to make choices that genuinely make sense for the family and the life we have. Whether your family is a blended family, an aging family, or a one-person family, you will find useful tips for creating a memorable holiday, including new ideas for warm and glittery holiday décor, easy entertaining, fun activities, better gift giving and more---all without losing your mind or your bank account!”
She states, “The myth of the perfect Christmas also touches the reality of the people who ‘make’ Christmas for us---or family and even those friends, acquaintances or strangers… The truth is that our networks---colleagues, friends, families---are composed of imperfect people. And it's good for every one of us to admit that we ourselves are among the flawed… If you need perfection, maybe you should invest in a company that can design and manufacture the perfect robot… For me, I either have to learn to be happy with a fake Christmas tree or simply accept the fact that as long as the real tree doesn’t fall down, a little leaning is just fine… The key is convincing yourself and then communicating with loved ones that just as there are no perfect people, there are no perfect holidays---and that is perfectly okay.” (Pg. 23)
She suggests, “Dream a little. You might be surprised at the results. Most of us spend too much time trying to make Christmas resemble something from the idealized past. Perhaps it is time to initiate a new way to celebrate. One family, at Grandma’s suggestion, chose to rent a beach house together. Instead of slaving in the kitchen while bored teenagers complained and husbands watched football, she and her whole family had a great time at the beach!” (Pg. 67)
She notes, “all major religious and cultural holidays have some element of peace, harmony and reconciliation. You can also honor the differences by embracing the common values and how they relate to your family. The ancient tradition of lighting the Hanukkah menorah has relevant lessons for all of us. After the Jews reclaimed the Temple desecrated by the Syrian-Grecian army, they found one day’s supply of the ritually pure olive oil. Miraculously that oil burned in the great menorah for eight days, until new oil was ready. Lighting the menorah each night during the eight days of Hanukkah reminds us of this miracle of provision. It’s a miracle we can all honor and celebrate.” (Pg. 82)
She advises, “Don’t let gift-giving myths trip you up. You are not obligated to reciprocate just become someone gave you a gift. When this happens, simply accept the gift graciously. Another myth is thinking that there should be more equality in gift giving. If someone gives you an expensive gift, you don’t have to feel bad for giving something less expensive. Most likely, your friend and family already know your financial situation and wouldn’t want you to spend more than you could comfortably afford.” (Pg. 140)
She explains, “Have you tried shopping from your television? You might be surprised at the experience. I know a lot about television shopping because I work at the biggest shopping network, QVC. They have been around for twenty years and reach more than eighty-seven million homes in the United States. Many of our customer-viewers depend on us for shopping because they have health issues that make shopping in stores difficult or impossible. Many of our new customers find us as a result of an illness that kept them bedridden for a period of time. Television shopping is truly wonderful for these folks.” (Pg. 149)
This book may interest those seeking ways to modify their Christmas celebration.
Author Sharon Hanby-Robie wrote in the Introduction to this 2006 book, “Sadly, today’s Christmas sentiment goes more like this: Carolers may be singing and tree lights may be twinkling, but inside my head I am screaming, ‘Take me away, Calgon!’ Don’t despair. There is hope, and some of it is right here in this book. My goal is to help you add a little peace and quiet to your holiday celebrations and make room for meaningful time with loved ones. As you read, you’ll find a variety of practical ideas, expert information, and insights from the stories of other people’s Christmas experiences. We’ll take it one step at a time, beginning with a reminder of what Christmas is all about. Then we’ll try to identity the problems that take us off track.
“For example, if holidays seem too hectic to be enjoyed, perhaps part of the problem is that you have unrealistic expectations about which events should be included. Many of us think a holiday like Christmas should bring us all closer and heal old wounds. Or we may think the holiday will be a marvelous time of charity and goodwill. Then we are disappointed when it falls short. I will help you appreciate that this extra burden of expectation on top of our already overloaded schedules is not only stressful but can also strain relationships. Have you ever argued with someone over what size tree to buy or at whose home you should celebrate? Under normal circumstances we could settle these disagreements reasonably but because we are all suffering from frazzled nerves, small decisions become very big issues.
“As we learn to have reasonable expectations, we can also concentrate on having an enjoyable holiday simply by choosing to live in the stress-free moment and to break the cycle of anxiety. As we come to focus on the good and the wonderful and adopt an attitude of graciousness and thanks, we will learn to make choices that genuinely make sense for the family and the life we have. Whether your family is a blended family, an aging family, or a one-person family, you will find useful tips for creating a memorable holiday, including new ideas for warm and glittery holiday décor, easy entertaining, fun activities, better gift giving and more---all without losing your mind or your bank account!”
She states, “The myth of the perfect Christmas also touches the reality of the people who ‘make’ Christmas for us---or family and even those friends, acquaintances or strangers… The truth is that our networks---colleagues, friends, families---are composed of imperfect people. And it's good for every one of us to admit that we ourselves are among the flawed… If you need perfection, maybe you should invest in a company that can design and manufacture the perfect robot… For me, I either have to learn to be happy with a fake Christmas tree or simply accept the fact that as long as the real tree doesn’t fall down, a little leaning is just fine… The key is convincing yourself and then communicating with loved ones that just as there are no perfect people, there are no perfect holidays---and that is perfectly okay.” (Pg. 23)
She suggests, “Dream a little. You might be surprised at the results. Most of us spend too much time trying to make Christmas resemble something from the idealized past. Perhaps it is time to initiate a new way to celebrate. One family, at Grandma’s suggestion, chose to rent a beach house together. Instead of slaving in the kitchen while bored teenagers complained and husbands watched football, she and her whole family had a great time at the beach!” (Pg. 67)
She notes, “all major religious and cultural holidays have some element of peace, harmony and reconciliation. You can also honor the differences by embracing the common values and how they relate to your family. The ancient tradition of lighting the Hanukkah menorah has relevant lessons for all of us. After the Jews reclaimed the Temple desecrated by the Syrian-Grecian army, they found one day’s supply of the ritually pure olive oil. Miraculously that oil burned in the great menorah for eight days, until new oil was ready. Lighting the menorah each night during the eight days of Hanukkah reminds us of this miracle of provision. It’s a miracle we can all honor and celebrate.” (Pg. 82)
She advises, “Don’t let gift-giving myths trip you up. You are not obligated to reciprocate just become someone gave you a gift. When this happens, simply accept the gift graciously. Another myth is thinking that there should be more equality in gift giving. If someone gives you an expensive gift, you don’t have to feel bad for giving something less expensive. Most likely, your friend and family already know your financial situation and wouldn’t want you to spend more than you could comfortably afford.” (Pg. 140)
She explains, “Have you tried shopping from your television? You might be surprised at the experience. I know a lot about television shopping because I work at the biggest shopping network, QVC. They have been around for twenty years and reach more than eighty-seven million homes in the United States. Many of our customer-viewers depend on us for shopping because they have health issues that make shopping in stores difficult or impossible. Many of our new customers find us as a result of an illness that kept them bedridden for a period of time. Television shopping is truly wonderful for these folks.” (Pg. 149)
This book may interest those seeking ways to modify their Christmas celebration.
June 12, 2022
Great!!!
January 19, 2011
Ideas on making Christmas more simple, joyful and meaningful. The tips were good and realistic
November 21, 2017
This book focuses on creating a more meaningful Christmas by not getting caught up in the craziness of the holiday.
Read
February 22, 2010Good Christmas book may be nice for a gift
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews