It’s Okay If Your Christmas Looks Different This Year

A reminder that Jesus—not presents—has always been the gift

This Holiday Season feels different this year and I think there are many reasons in my life that are contributing. But the main thing I found myself getting hung up on was the fact that my family wouldn’t be having a traditional Christmas. What I mean by that is that instead of receiving multiple gifts from my parents this year, we may not receive anything at all or maybe just one or two small things. It’s not that i’m used to big christmases with lots of presents under the tree, but for some reason when I heard I may not be receiving a gift from one of my parents this year due to just the lack of finances, I had a bit of a pity party and it really threw me for a loop.

I did some soul searching and that’s when the Holy Spirit checked my spirit and I realized, Christmas was never meant to be about the presents under the tree. heck, i’m not entirely convinced the original Christmas even had a tree to put presents under. Christmas has always and should always be about Jesus and his birth. That is what we should be focused on this Holiday Season.

In addition to the focus of Jesus’ birth, we also get to just enjoy each other’s company around this time of year if that’s something that’s accessible to you (i know for many in the disabled community, it’s not.) and that should be of more importance than opening presents even if the goal of presents was to give joyfully to celebrate one another this Holiday Season.

So I know this post was short, but I wanted to remind you that it’s okay if your Christmas or Holiday Season looks different this year. It’s okay if you’re not able to afford a big Christmas or a “Christmas” at all. it’s okay if all you have to offer is yourself and even more importantly, the birth of Jesus.

I wish you all a warm, bright and cozy Holiday Season.

With Grace,

Ashley Hope