Rudolph Day - The 2019 Version
Have you ever heard of Rudolph Day? I've written about it here and here, but basically the idea is to simplify Christmas preparations by spreading them out throughout the year. I don't necessarily see the need to do actual physical tasks throughout the year, but I do like the idea of taking time once a month to think and ponder and remember the importance of Christmas. I've tried using blog posts as a tool to help with that, but I seem to have a bit of trouble with keeping it going all year long. However, since I'm trying to do better at the sharing part of my purpose to "Learn, Live, Share" I'm going to try again. Maybe this will be the year I'll actually do something once a month to prepare for and/or remember Christmas.
I've shared these pictures before (see here), but I figure they're the perfect introduction to what I want to do this year. That's my goal - to not let the "Spirit of Christmas" disappear from January through November.
While I try to keep that thought in mind regularly, reading this blog post a month ago brought it to the forefront. It contained the following thesis:
If our focus on the Savior is greatly enhanced during the Christmas season, then we are doing it wrong the other 11 months of the year.
You can read for yourself his reasons for that statement. However, when I tried sharing that thought - very badly, I might add - with Wayne, he had a great perspective that I want to remember. He suggested that it is an upward spiral, that each December our focus on the Savior should be enhanced, but that we keep that improvement in our daily lives, and then when Christmas rolls around again a year later, we add something else to increase our focus and just keep getting better and better. Don't you love that?
Because of that thought, and because I'm a visual learner, when I put the Christmas decorations away this year, I kept out a couple of things. This delicate little Scandinavian nativity will not only help me remember my wonderful daughter who gave it to me, along with our Swedish ancestry, but will also help keep our Savior and the purpose of his life front and center in my thoughts.
I also kept the wreath on the wall. It's not perfect, but that enhances its charm. It reminds me of friends and love and service - it was a Relief Society project - and it's a beautiful example of the colors of Christmas - red stands for the blood of our Savior, but also for love and joy, green for everlasting life, and and gold for giving. What will you do to help remember the "Christmas Spirit" throughout the year?
I should note that in the past I've used January 25th to write about the previous Christmas; I'm pleased to say that I didn't procrastinate that little project this year. Here's the evidence - Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
I've shared these pictures before (see here), but I figure they're the perfect introduction to what I want to do this year. That's my goal - to not let the "Spirit of Christmas" disappear from January through November.
While I try to keep that thought in mind regularly, reading this blog post a month ago brought it to the forefront. It contained the following thesis:
If our focus on the Savior is greatly enhanced during the Christmas season, then we are doing it wrong the other 11 months of the year.
You can read for yourself his reasons for that statement. However, when I tried sharing that thought - very badly, I might add - with Wayne, he had a great perspective that I want to remember. He suggested that it is an upward spiral, that each December our focus on the Savior should be enhanced, but that we keep that improvement in our daily lives, and then when Christmas rolls around again a year later, we add something else to increase our focus and just keep getting better and better. Don't you love that?
Because of that thought, and because I'm a visual learner, when I put the Christmas decorations away this year, I kept out a couple of things. This delicate little Scandinavian nativity will not only help me remember my wonderful daughter who gave it to me, along with our Swedish ancestry, but will also help keep our Savior and the purpose of his life front and center in my thoughts.
I also kept the wreath on the wall. It's not perfect, but that enhances its charm. It reminds me of friends and love and service - it was a Relief Society project - and it's a beautiful example of the colors of Christmas - red stands for the blood of our Savior, but also for love and joy, green for everlasting life, and and gold for giving. What will you do to help remember the "Christmas Spirit" throughout the year?
I should note that in the past I've used January 25th to write about the previous Christmas; I'm pleased to say that I didn't procrastinate that little project this year. Here's the evidence - Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
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