Thanksgiving is officially behind us, and many women may find that the season of gratitude is quickly overwhelmed by the season of busyness.
Undoubtedly, the holiday season can be complicated. Parties, gifts, and twinkling lights make the season magical, but it can also overwhelm the to-do list. Modern expectations of holiday decorating and giving may violate past times and make us long for simpler times, but we still have plenty to be thankful for.
Holiday movies like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Jingle All the Way” seem increasingly outdated as the days of parents scrambling to get the few hot items stocked on toy store shelves are a relic. Online shopping means busy parents can choose a Christmas list in minutes and get same-day delivery, often at next to no cost.
Woman shopping online on smart phone fashion clothes at home
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Getting up and out of the Christmas decorations can be time-consuming, but it sure can be impressive. Decades ago, households used incandescent light bulbs, but they usually only had a few strands. Today’s LED lights reduce the demand for electricity by about 80% while improving safety, causing Christmas tree fire accidents to plummet in recent decades. As a result, the prevalence and number of Christmas lights in use today has skyrocketed. About two-thirds of homeowners plan to turn on the lights for the holidays. Where families once had to travel to see luminaries, now you’re more likely to find one within driving distance of your home.
Travel and communication technologies are light years ahead of previous generations, allowing us to virtually meet and connect with family and friends around the world. Airline tickets and various methods of ground travel, as well as websites and apps for purchasing discount travel, are much more accessible to everyday Americans than in the past. These were luxuries previously enjoyed only by America’s elite. Long distance phone calls used to be so expensive that families used to severely limit their use. Today, cell phones, WhatsApp, Zoom, and other virtual methods enable us to see and talk to loved ones far away—virtually anytime at no marginal cost.
Holiday cooking and baking traditions have also evolved. Instead of depending on reliable recipes handed down from grandma, bakers today can also access unlimited alternative recipes on social media. The Instagram photos might suggest that these are all incredibly complicated and impressive recipes, but many include hacks that make cooking easier and more satisfying. Parents can search the Internet to find a wide variety of baking and other crafts appropriate for their children’s exact age and use only what is already at home.
Happy African American mother and daughter laughing and having fun spending Christmas together at home.
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It’s easy to lament how the commercial holidays have become, especially Christmas, and worry that—like the rest of life—they’ve ended up revolving around heavy screen use. However, these displays can also help keep the focus of the season on the birth of Christ. There are many apps that offer Christ-centered worship and entertainment to focus attention on the biblical roots of the holiday. Streaming services can now customize your playlist, so instead of generic or mundane “holiday favorites,” you can fine-tune those with a purely religious message.
Nostalgia for bygone eras can be inevitable, especially on family-centered holidays when we become especially aware of the generations of loved ones who are no longer with us. However, there is nothing about the current age that condemns us to shallow holidays and gatherings. We have more tools around us than ever before to make holiday items rewarding and less taxation, rather than more. This means that if we do it on purpose, we can truly dedicate ourselves to appreciating time with family and loved ones, and the true Christmas message of love, sacrifice, and the unmerited gift of grace.
