How do you maintain a "family feel" to your Christmas (and other holiday) celebrations when they're also involved in ministry?
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We do a lot of Christmas outreach type events around Christmas,and we do most of them as a family. Our kids really look forward to doing these things as a family, and our daughter mentioned during our Advent devotion time that she was most hoping to bring joy to the children in a poor community where we work. Serving together is just something our family does at Christmas now.
ReplyDeletewe also try to do ministry as a family. we also set aside time that is just for family and don't let anything interfere, just for us - dancing to Christmas music, projecting movies on the wall while we all pile on the waterbed, bonfires and roasting marshmallows, fixing meals together. we usually take the week off in between Christmas and New Years - after the Christmas Day service at church until the New Year's Eve service - and spend that time together as family.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked my Jesse's Branch idea, and I hope it's useful to you and your family. Blessed Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWe try to alternate family events with ministry events. Last week was really busy ministry-wise, so this week, I'm focusing on spending time with the family. I made cards with my daughter and took the kids for some VERY PRICEY white chocolate peppermit mochas from Starbucks here in Izmir, once a year treat!(Totally worth it since my daughter has been dreaming about it.)
ReplyDeleteWe'll have a church outreach party, but our Christmas dinner is just for us and a few family friends. We also tend to slow down the week between Christmas and New Year's and some years go on a little low-budget winter vacation.
We have a ready-made separation of family and church Christmas in this culture. Russia and Ukraine celebrate Christmas on January 7. December 25 is pretty much just a usual work day for most people. So, we make December 25 into a big family day. Then we celebrate again with our church family later.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, we enjoy ministry opportunities together, like others have said, and we try to draw other people into our own special days at home when we can.
Wow, Phyllis, that's interesting. You have Christmas all spread out then. I wonder if that makes the "stress" last longer? :-) Or if it makes things easier since things are more spread out? It's great that you can focus more on family in December though...
DeleteIt doesn't spread the stress out, because the holiday season really doesn't start until December 25 or after in general culture. There aren't any holiday events going on yet here. It's really just later, not more spread out, except for the very low-key Advent in our own home.
DeleteWe make sure to set a day aside for our family celebration day, including a few things we've made a "tradition" like a meal or game.
ReplyDeleteJoy in Nepal