I find it ironic that this lyric, popularized by three animated rodents in the 1960’s, continues to be the beck and call of our society at this time of the year. There has been much concern, even from our elected officials, that there could be a lack of goods available to purchase this year and that it could “ruin Christmas”. This sentiment that “Christmas joy will be measured by the quality and/or quantity of stuff I get” needs to be addressed.

However, there are real pressures imposed on us at Christmas time. While much of our shopping has moved online, the hustle and commercial pressures of the season are still great. There are only a few short weeks where all of the shopping must be completed by a certain deadline in order to satisfy at least some of the covetous desires of our loved ones. TIME is of the essence. TIME is short. Yet, as we move up in years and wisdom builds through the experiences of life, most people find that TIME is actually our most important resource and gift to both have and to give. In that light, I’d like you to consider several ways to spend your “Christmas TIME” this holiday season.

1. Spend Time with God – Remember there’s a “Reason for the Season”. Christmas is supposed to be all about the celebration of Jesus’ birth. God put on human flesh, humbled himself, and voluntarily placed himself in the life of a poor first-century family’s home in order that mankind might have redemption. There is a lot of deep spiritual truths to think about at Christmas. Spend time each day in a Christmas devotional, read through the prophecies of Christ’s birth, or use an advent calendar of some kind. Use your Christmas time to draw near and be with the God who sent His Son, Emmanuel, so that He could be with you. (Matthew 1:23)


2. Spend Time with Family – Why don’t you try spending half the money and twice the time this year? So many family members, especially older ones, have been isolated through this pandemic. Our lack of interaction has taken a toll on our well being. Your kids don’t need more stuff, they need more of you. Take an extra evening and bring a meal to someone who is alone. Put down the phone and spend some time talking or playing board games. Time spent with family may seem like a waste, but it will create memories and joy that will not be tossed aside like an extra pair of socks on Christmas day. (Psalm 133:1)


3. Spend Time at Church – It’s too easy to lower the priority of church at this time of year. You might be inclined to squeeze in that extra bit of shopping on a Sunday evening. You might have relatives in from out of town on the weekend. You might just be exhausted from all the Christmas stuff you did throughout the week and give yourself a pass for missing church. If Jesus really is the reason for the season, then you should find that worshipping Him is the most important use of your time. You need other Christians to share in this joy and fellowship as well – or maybe they need you! If you have relatives at your home, it’s the perfect time to bring them out to church with you. What better way to be a witness to those who might not otherwise be interested in spiritual things? Also, it’s the time when your church will likely have put the most effort into nice decorations, special music, and special services for you to enjoy. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25) should become our heart’s desire and priority especially at Christmas time.

There are only a few short weeks until Christmas. This is your Christmas “time”. Each of us has the same amount to spend each day. Plan to spend your Christmas time wisely this year in pursuit of the things that really matter. You will find that the joy and peace of the season can be yours.