How easy is it to get lost in the planning, gifting, and chaos of the holiday season? Do you find yourself exhausted? Overwhelmed? Anxious? Is the holiday season taking over your life (and not in a good way)?

I completely understand. The demands placed on people during the holiday sometimes seemed completely unrealistic. This can be especially true for deployed or separated families, single parents, parents of special needs children, and single people. It is so easy to get lost in the chaos.

How do we get out of the funk the demands can place us in? Change our focus. Stop thinking of “me”, and start thinking of others. If you are still having a little trouble getting into the season, try some old family traditions.

Part of the fun of the holidays is the books and movies that get pulled of the shelf and dusted off to enjoy. Growing up, my mom used to read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever to kick off the season. My dad would read Luke 1 to us prior to opening any presents. It was in these calm moments the real meaning of the season came alive.

I have continued this tradition in my own home. It is so special to pass this on to my kid and husband. These memories require no money, just quality time with those you love. When my husband was deployed during the holidays, this was one of the things he missed most about not being home. This is also what helps me stay grounded in the chaos when things start to get overwhelming.

So, I invite you to slow down with us this Christmas season.  Enjoy a cup of hot cocoa, snuggle up (perhaps by a fire), and enjoy these fun movies and stories. May they bring you as much joy as they have our family.

MOVIES

• Elf
• Christmas Chronicles (one and two)
• The Polar Express
• Home Alone (all of them)
• The Grinch (all versions are quite fun)
• The Santa Clause (all)
• Jingle All the Way
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
• It’s a Wonderful Life
• White Christmas
• Miracle on 34^th Street (both)
• Claws (Netflix)
• The Muppets Christmas Carole
• Scrooge
• Muppets Christmas Letters
• The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
• Babes in Toyland
• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• The original Christmas Specials Collection including: Santa Clause is Coming to Town; Frosty the Snowman; Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer; The Year Without Santa Clause; The Little Drummer Boy

BOOKS

• The Best Christmas Pageant by Barbara Robinson
• Christmas Carole by Charles Dickens
• The Elves and the Shoemaker by Jacob Grimm and Jim Lamarche
• A Christmas Greeting from a Fairy to a Child by Lewis Carroll
• The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry and P.J. Lynch
• A Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
• The First Christmas Tree by Suzanne Lierance
• The First Christmas Tree Lights by Suzanne Lieurance
• The Story of Christmas Spiders by Stephanie Herbek
• The Legends of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
• Yes, Virginia: There is as Santa Clause by Chris Plehal
• Is There a Santa Clause? By Francis P. Church
• The True Story of Santa Claus by Brian Conway
• A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement C. Moore
• A Pony for Christmas by Lincoln Steffens
• The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffman
• The Story of Silent Night by Lisa Harkrader
• The Three Skaters by Paul Frederico

I do hope these give you as much joy as they have our family.  What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

For more fun Christmas traditions, check out my Facebook page.