You can feel it in the air.  Christmas is near.  The stores have the carols playing and are bombarding you with extravagant gift ideas for everyone you know.  It’s party time, family gathering time, time to shop until you drop, time to break the bank and time to go crazy with all the buzz.

Does this mean Christmas to you?  Seriously.  Say you do take time off work at Christmas and you spend enough money to put you in debt for a good part of the New Year.  Is it worth it?  Is that what you would choose to do with your time and money if you had the choice of anything you wanted?

Why don’t you decide right now what kind of Christmas you want to have.  Does a plasma TV really say “I love you”?  Does a cell phone mp3 player show your kids you care?  Does being short with your family because you’ve been at too many parties instill family values?  What do you do that embodies the meaning of Christmas for you?

Sit yourself down for 30 minutes with a pen and paper and give yourself a huge gift this year.  Answer these questions in writing and decide how you are going to have a great Christmas this year.

1. What is the true meaning of Christmas for you?  Does it have to do with Christian beliefs?  Tradition?  Family values?  Giving?  (Without necessarily spending)
2. What would be the perfect Christmas for you?
   1. What would you do with your time?
   2. What events would you attend (because you enjoy them)?
   3. Who would you choose to see (because you like them)?
   4. How would interactions with your family go?
   5. How would you feel throughout the holidays? (ex. energized, happy, loved, rested, peaceful)
   6. What gifts would you buy (because you want to)?
   7. What would you not buy (because you don’t need to)?
   8. What else would make this Christmas extra special for you?
3. How do you make this perfect Christmas happen?
   1. Who do you have to talk to about this?
   2. What agreements do you need to make with people?
   3. What do you need to tell or teach your family?
   4. What do you need to say no to?
   5. How can you best spend your precious time?
4. Tell the people who matter what your plan is.
5. Make your plan happen and enjoy Christmas.

Absolutely make sure you spend enough time thinking about this and WRITE IT DOWN.  A plan in your head rarely gets executed.  Tell the people who matter because they will want to support you.  ( If you don’t get them the new Ipod, they don’t have to pay for your new cell phone plan.)  When you set the expectations in advance and meet or exceed them, everyone is happy.

We all know Christmas time is stressful.   The emergency room is packed and suicides go up.  Find ways to take stress off during this time.  Get entrained more often, especially when you think you don’t have time.  All of a sudden you will feel like you have all the time in the world.

Please take some time to do this and have a great Christmas this year!