5 Tips For A Joyful Christmas

Joy to the world                                                 

The Lord has come

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart 

Prepare Him room 

And heaven and nature sing (repeat x 2)

Since the Christmas season began, I've sung the above words in church a few times, and ever so often I would find myself humming or singing the song. Needless to say, it's one of my favorite Christmas carols and is quite popular at this time of year. But even though I sing the song, I'm aware that there is not much joy in our world today. For many people Christmas is the saddest and loneliest time of the year. And if you live anywhere on planet earth, you know there are dozens of other reasons for the lack of joy.

So rather than depressing you by telling you what you already know, I've come up with some tips to help you experience some joy this Christmas. 

1. Spend time with the Lord. Yes, I know you pray and read your Bible daily, but at Christmas time we may find ourselves so engulfed in our preparations we may neglect spending some quiet time with God. Don't let this happen. The psalmist said, "In thy presence is fullness of joy ..." Psalm 16: 11.

2. Slow down. This may seem almost impossible, but guess what? You don't have to kill yourself trying to have everything perfect; neither do you have to attend every function to which you are invited; neither do you have to overspend in an attempt to buy gifts for everyone. 

3. Spend time with friends and family. Make it fun, leisurely and stress free. Invite someone who may be alone over for dinner. If you are fortunate to have older relatives around, have them relate stories about "the good old days." They love to do that, and the young people will benefit from a little history lesson.Watch a movie like this one that everyone can enjoy.

4. Share your faith. Don't be afraid to say, "Merry Christmas," to store clerks, co-workers and strangers you meet in the mall. You never know, it may spark some conversation about our Savior.

5. Sing. Yes, sing some Christmas carols. Find a radio station that plays them or go to You Tube where you'll find modern as well as old-fashioned ones. You cannot remain sad when you sing. 

You may be able to think of other ways to infuse some joy into your Christmas, or maybe you have some family traditions that are special to you. Why not share them in the comments box below? And do have a blessed and joyful Christmas. 

Enjoy this video of Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir singing Joy To The World.