How to Have a Joyful Christmas When You’re Feeling Stressed

Despite our deepest desires for a joyful Christmas, there are some days, moments, even seasons where we’re just not feeling it. Maybe it’s a season of sickness or trial, a season of unavoidable fullness, or a season where the monotony of daily life is just really getting to you. For whatever reason, the season is heavy, and the expectation of a joyful Christmas just increases your stress.

If you’re needing a bit of hope this holiday season, check out this blog post.

It is in these moments where we may need to take some extra time to discover the joy that is there and release the expectations of what we believe it should be. You may find that often, the greatest joys come in the simplest of moments.

Joy Is a Fruit of the Spirit

The experience of joy isn’t just about being happy—though through it we can feel a deep sense of peace and calm. It’s a much deeper emotion that comes from being close to God and aligned with His will for our lives.

When you think of stress, many times it’s a byproduct of events and experiences that are out of our control. It’s an action against the mind or body that puts pressure on us in a way that feels uncomfortable.

So often we let those pressures steal our joy. We give in to our woes and turn to despair instead of turning to the One who has it all under control. But there’s hope: God offers a source of joy that goes beyond our circumstances.

Want to know the secret to experiencing a joyful Christmas?

It’s not something that we can give ourselves or even our families. We have to go to God to receive it. It’s a fruit of our relationship with Him that then pours out onto others.

Yet, there are ways we can foster the growth of this fruit. The most obvious is through prayer. However, we can also foster it through the practice of gratitude. No matter the trial or stressful situation that you are going through, there is always an opportunity for gratitude. Start looking for those opportunities and thank God for them.

A journal is a great way to get started. Open up the page and jot down all of the things that you’re thankful for about the day. If you’re struggling, ask God to open your eyes to what feels hidden.

What pressures are you feeling in your attempt to experience a joyful Christmas? How might God be calling you to give those pressures to Him and look at what you’re going through through the lens of gratitude?

Daily Intentional Rhythms Allow Space for Joy

“Chaos breeds chaos,” as they say. But isn’t it so true? When one area of life is chaotic, before we know it, it feels like that chaos just continues to spread to all of the other areas. The uncertainty of the day-to-day leads into the uncertainty and stress of the Christmas season, thus stealing our joy.

While we do need to rely on God in these moments, it’s also good to remember that our God is a God of order. He created the world and all that is in it in a very orderly way, and He left time for rest. Even as Jesus walked the earth, He ministered to others continually and still paused for rest and prayer.

It is in that rest that we gain a better perspective on what’s going on in our lives.

I notice this especially as a mom. In the days that I’m well-rested, my struggles don’t seem as big. Yet, when I’ve been up all night with a baby, every struggle feels like a mountainous hurdle to leap.

While we may not have control over some areas of life (like broken sleep in motherhood), we can still structure our days to allow for some sort of breathing room, making space for a joyful Christmas even amid the chaos.

In our culture, we have convinced ourselves that we must constantly be going in order to be worth something.

But what if that isn’t true? Your busyness has nothing to do with your worth.

Take note of when you are most energized during the day and when you are least energized. Use your most energetic times to accomplish what needs to be done, and discover ways to slow down during your least energetic times of day.

Use those slower times to decompress, pray, or simply notice the blessings around you—the laughter, the quirks, the gentle kiss from your spouse. Take them in and thank God for each one.

For a step-by-step process toward building these daily intentional rhythms that fit your unique family life, check out The Intentional Day Blueprint.

Focus on Connection Over Hustle

In the hustle and stress of daily life, it’s easy to pull inward and have tunnel-vision focus on what needs to be done—but taking moments for connection is essential to experiencing a joyful Christmas.

Yes, things need to get done in order for our lives to function properly. But our need for connection is just as important. This is why intentional rhythms are so important: they allow space for both the to-do list and meaningful moments.

Who are we supposed to connect with?

I’m sure, for most of us, our thoughts go to our children. But connection doesn’t always have to mean scheduled one-on-one time. Sometimes it’s as simple as slowing down enough to notice and invite them in.

This applies to our spouses and the other members of our family as well. In a stressful, hustling life, our focus becomes more on what needs to be done instead of the people we’re doing all of the things for.

Instead, take an extra moment to look in your child’s eye as you respond to him or her, linger a while longer as you kiss your spouse, or answer the ill-timed phone call from your sister.

Yet, this connection doesn’t stop with our families.

We’re called to a similar level of connection with God and with our community. As we talked about earlier in this blog post, it is our connection with God that helps foster that spirit of joy. And it is in community that we can continue to experience and share the joy with those around us. It is in this connection that we can fully experience a joyful Christmas.

As you continue to move into this holiday season, how will you choose to slow down and connect with those around you?

Check out a sample stay-at-home mom schedule in my free guide.

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Experience a Joyful Christmas This Christmas Season

A joyful Christmas doesn’t come from trees, lights, packages, or bows (I’m getting some Grinch vibes here, lol!). Instead, joy comes from our relationship with our Lord and sharing that joy with one another.

This Christmas season, I encourage you to take a good look at your current rhythms (you have them whether they are intentional or not) and decide what is serving you and your family right now and what isn’t, so that you can truly experience a joyful Christmas.

If you want help building personalized rhythms and routines for your family, go check out The Intentional Day Blueprint.

For a sample stay-at-home mom schedule, download my free guide: A Mom’s Guide to a More Organized Day.