This time of year it is so easy to get caught up in all the lists of things we need to do, buy, bake and see that we lose sight of why we are doing it.

Here we are, 9 more days until Christmas, and I feel stressed out!  I feel like I don't have enough time, energy or money to do everything on my lists.  I don't FEEL like it's Christmas yet because I still have so much more to do.

So I got to thinking..........What do I need to do to make it FEEL like Christmas?

Is it the perfectly decorated home?  Is it baking the best treats?  Is it having the most presents under the tree, or the most beautiful family picture?

Nope!

For me, Christmas is the warmth of cuddling up with my family with hot cocoa and watching Elf.
Christmas is decorating cookies while listening to Christmas music.  Christmas is watching my kids play in the snow.  Christmas is going on a shopping date with my Husband.  Christmas is sitting in church singing Christmas Hymns.

Christmas shouldn't be a stressful time, but for so many of us it is because we think we need more than we do.   We put so much pressure on ourselves to make sure everything is picture perfect, wrapped up pretty and all aglow, that we convince ourselves that THAT is what Christmas is.  That we NEED more in order to have a beautiful Christmas.

This Christmas I hope that you find what you NEED.  That this Christmas brings happiness and peace.  I hope you make the time to sit under the Christmas tree lights and read a book.  I hope you listen to Christmas music as you make dinner.  I hope the magic of Christmas touches your heart in the simplest of ways, so that you can go into the new year knowing that you don't NEED much.  And what you do need, you probably already have.