For those that follow me on Instagram, you will know that November is our thanks giving month. We are not American, so do not celebrate Thanksgiving in the traditional sense that they do but we do use the month of November to give thanks for what we already have in our lives
Why?
We give thanks to God for what we already have and are blessed with. Christmas and gift giving is around the corner and we like to prepare our hearts for this busy season. We like to remind ourselves how we are already blessed and have a time of thinking about what really matters to us. We give thanks to God for this (as this is where all blessings come from) and to remind ourselves to be content with what we already have, so we can enter the season of advent, not fixed on gifts and events (which are lots of fun and a blessing in itself), but to fix our eyes and hearts on Jesus.
Phil 4:11-13
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and i know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
How?
As a family we each think about one thing we are thankful for each day and we write it out on a paper chain. Paper chains are colour strips of paper that can be home made or bought at the Pound shop to a much higher end store, depending on budget, time and theme. At the end of the month, we have an evening reading out our thankfulness and creating a paper chain decoration. We then also have a thankful chain to decorate our home with as a daily reminder of all that we already have.
I love the Christmas advent season and I love all the decorations and different events. I love the gift buying and preparing a feast for my family. I enjoy celebrating and being with family but I don't want to be caught up in consumerism and decorations. This is not about following a rule or law but a family tradition to help us focus on what really matters. November is my month of Christmas planning, preparing and shopping. I am then free to enjoy and take part of all that December has to offer without the stress or worry about preparing everything.
Christians who have the most fun celebrating the birth of our saviour are appealing to others. We are a people who have a lot to be thankful for and this season there will be opportunities to invite others to church, to social engagements and I want to be present for that, rather than stressing about gift shopping.
How do you organise your Christmas?
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