Finding Peace Amid Holiday Chaos

By: Leigha Pindroh, Director of Communications

The stress of the holidays has already started creeping in. My to-do list is longer than I’d like to admit—gifts to buy, cookies to bake, parties to host, Christmas cards to send, etc. It feels like the days (and weeks) are speeding by, and there’s not enough hours to make sure everything is perfect for Christmas.

I know I’m not alone in this. As a society, we often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to create the perfect Christmas. Perfect meals, perfect decorations, perfect memories. It’s ironic, though, when you think about it. The very first Christmas was anything but extravagant. Jesus, the Savior of the world, was born in the humblest of places—a manger. No elaborate preparations, no sparkling lights, just the awe-inspiring miracle of God’s Son born to a virgin.

This weekend at church, as the Advent wreath was lit, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me. It was a gentle reminder of how simple and beautiful the true meaning of Christmas really is. Yes, there’s a lot to do, but the true “magic” of the season isn’t found in the hustle and bustle. It’s found in preparing our hearts for Jesus’s arrival.

How lucky are we to have moments to pause and soak in the joy of the season? Events like Children’s Christmas Musical and Cantata offer us a chance to set aside our holiday stress and simply be. To marvel at the beauty of the story we celebrate, to reflect on the love and hope that Jesus brings, and to come together as a community in His name.

So, this year, I’m making an effort to focus on what matters most. The gifts, the cookies, the cards—those are all wonderful ways to celebrate. But if I let them overshadow the simple, profound truth of Christmas, I’ll have missed the point entirely.

Let’s embrace this season of waiting, preparation, and joy. Let’s find peace in the simplicity of a baby born in a manger and let that guide us through the busy weeks ahead.