I’m going to make a feather-ruffling, potentially unpopular, and highly controversial statement. It’s probably the most polarizing thing I’ve ever said at (in)courage. Hang on to your hats.
I’ve been watching Christmas movies for weeks.
Yep.
While finishing my kids’ Halloween costumes, eating their candy, and planning my Thanksgiving menu, holiday movies have been on in the background. I’ve been discussing these movies with my bestie Mary every week on her podcast too (you can listen here!) and working on a second edition of my Advent book, which have also all led to tuning in to my favorite Christmas playlist.
That’s right. I’ve also been rockin’ around the (musical) Christmas tree.
You know what else? Last week, I had my first red cup drink at Starbucks. It was a skim one-pump chestnut praline latte, and I loved every calorie-laden sip.
I bought a carton of egg nog this week, too. I’ve been diffusing a combination of cinnamon, orange, and clove essential oils nonstop. My mantle currently has both a Thanksgiving-y banner that says gather and a collection of bottlebrush trees, and will soon be full-on Christmas. We are putting up the tree this weekend. It’s pre-lit, so we’ll enjoy the glow without decorations for now, and then the day after Thanksgiving, we will trim it! But yeah, it’s going up. And tomorrow night, we’re going to visit Santa.
GASP!
I hear a thousand of you inhaling sharply.
I also believe I may hear a thousand of you clapping. I know I’m not actually alone in my stretch-out-the-celebrations-as-long-as-possible style.
If you know me, you know I love me some holiday season-ing. (Yes, I made it a verb.) I’ve written two holiday books and countless social posts about holiday-ing with my family. We try to go all in, whole hearts out there, and we try to squeeze every drop of joy out of each one. Throw in my kids’ Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter birthdays, and our family festivity motto is ‘celebrate big’!
It seems that often, when people express their holiday joy outside of December, they’re met with scoffs and scowls and general Scrooge-iness, and I always wonder why. I understand letting each holiday breathe on its own, giving each its own space and time to be enjoyed, but it just seems that really, what in the world warrants actual anger at someone simply enjoying a holiday or celebration that brings them deep joy? Can’t ‘tis the season mean just that — this is a season filled with opportunities for celebrating?
The God we celebrate and praise created each of us with unique hearts, and likes, and things that bring us joy, and I’m pretty sure He wants us to lean into them. Irenaeus’s famous quote, “The glory of God is man fully alive,” resonates with my (year-round, Christmas-loving) heart because loving and celebrating holidays both big and small is part of who He made me to be. I hope it brings Him glory when I lean into that, operating in who I am by His design.
Friend, when it comes to celebrations, you do you. It doesn’t matter one bit when you jump into the holidays. October? November? Christmas Eve? Not at all? All Thanksgiving all the time? Put up the tree tonight or keep it tucked away til Christmas Eve? Game on! Throw a party on a Tuesday night? Invite your pals over for a holiday movie marathon and cookie swap in November? Have a Friendsgiving in January? Go for it! You get to celebrate in the way that’s most meaningful for you, and no one gets to tell you there’s a better or different or right way to do that.
Earlier this fall, my family celebrated my mom’s twentieth year of being breast cancer free.
We celebrated every one of the gifted-to-us days from those last twenty years with pink everything, loud laughter, tearful stories, and being together. The week before our party, I attended the funeral of a friend who punched metastatic breast cancer in the face for eight years, right up until the end. Hundreds of us gathered to celebrate her life through our tears. With such a different kind of celebration so fresh in my mind, the celebration for my mom was even deeper and more meaningful than I’d expected it to be.
We have today, which means we have a chance to celebrate.
So do it. Celebrate — whatever you want, whenever you want. Put up all the autumn decorations. Eat the cake. Throw the party. Put up your Christmas tree. Lean into celebration whenever you can because there is extraordinary in every single one of our plain old everydays, and each one of them deserves to be celebrated.
Whatever brings you joy and God glory, do that — during the holidays and all your days.
Whatever brings you joy and God glory, do that -- during the holidays and all your days. - @annaerendell: Click To Tweet Leave a Comment
Anna,
I love your outlook! Why do we limit our celebrating to just several special days per year? Every day I wake up, I thank God for that reality. Having spent many months unable to walk, I celebrate every time I can take my beagle for a walk. I like the twist of unconventional celebrations (Friendsgiving) – especially because many of us don’t have Norman Rockwell type family gatherings. Sometimes the holidays can be bittersweet. Thanks for the encouragement to do things a little differently in order to celebrate God’s goodness.
Blessings
Bev xx
Thank you Bev! I totally agree; let’s celebrate every day if we can.
Anna,
While I subscribe to let the holidays fall as they should. I get the idea of celebrating everyday of our lives. We need to be a thankful people. Who’s to say when to put up decorations or make the cookies? Like you said if it brings you joy & happiness then celebrate big. Ours is a God of parties. The fist miracle performed was to “keep the party going”. Keep the wedding celebration in full swing. This year is extra hard on my family. M FIL has stage III bladder cancer & had a bilateral ischemic attack 3 weeks ago. Plus 2 weeks prior MIL fell & broke her left hand. We both work hard stressful jobs. I wouldn’t mind a party here or there with friends. In fact for Thanksgiving I’m going over to my pastor & his wife’s house for a potluck dinner. They do this each year at Thanksgiving, Christmas & Easter. Inviting those with no one else to celebrate over to their house. Yeah~go on & celebrate, watch the movies, listen to the music. Make the heart merry. God doesn’t care about seasons. He just wants thankful people. Congratulations on mama being twenty years cancer free.
Bessings 🙂
Thank you Beth! And I love what you said — ours is a God of parties.
Anna,
I SO appreciated your view on holidays and EVERYDAY! Thank you for sharing your heart and helping put perspective around celebrations! Happy/Merry/Grateful EVERYTHING!
Thank you Sallie! Happy/Merry/Grateful EVERYTHING to you too!!! 🙂
Perfect timing on this post, Anna! The collision of holidays coming at the end of this month has me in white knuckle mode, wondering how I’ll navigate the transition from Thanksgiving to Advent without whiplash–and you’ve reassured me that it will be fine no matter what it looks like!
YES Michele, that is exactly it. The white knuckling and whiplashing. I’m tired of it. Right? Praying we can both take it day by day this season.
You opened my eyes. I was a scrooge as I am one who loves Thanksgiving. Not necessarily for the pilgrims but just for a holiday where we can be reminded how thankful we should be for those in our circle of life.
You did open my eyes though and reminded me that each day should be a celebration. Thank you for being so brave, congrats to your mom and her celebration of life for 20 years. I lost my best friend 1 year ago July to triple negative. Your comment about punching cancer in the face made me laugh and cry as she did till they said there was nothing else they could do.
Thank you for your brave & lovely reminder to celebrate every day in a way that brings you joy.
CjB, your comment here touched my heart. Thank you for your brave and kind words. I am so sorry for the loss of your best friend; that pain is like no other. Praying for your celebrations this season.
Thank you for giving me new perspective-I agree wholeheartedly to the “you do you “ concept. I have always been a fan of Thanksgiving and felt people should celebrate it first then Christmas-you have made me see celebrating in a new way.
Dillie, really?! What a kind thing to say! I just love all of them. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Love this, Anna! Well said!
Thank you Irene!
Everyday can be Christmas. Don’t get what I am saying wrong. We as the world seem to think Jesus was born on 25th December. It does not say in the Bible when Jesus was born. But it does tell the story about the first Christmas. So we can celebrate it really any time of the year. But the best present we can give someone is telling them about Jesus coming into the world as baby in a manger. That God did not choose for his son to be born in a Fancy place or Hospital but a Manger with animals. To show us that he was humbl just like me and you born with no airs and graces. That he didn’t need any where fancy to be born. He was The best present we can give someone especially if not saved is to tell that story of the first Christmas. That is telling them about the best present that ever came into the world. That God gave us that was his son Jesus. The best present the world would ever have and ask into their heart especially if not saved. So that is a present worth treasuring. As when we get a present on 25th December from Family or good Friend and we like it we like to treasure it and keep it special. So we can do the same. With God gift to us especially if not saved. Teasure it in our hearts for all our days. Then pass the Christmas story throughout the year on to others who are not saved. To hear it. Hopefully they through hearing it. If will listen to it will get saved. Treasure that gift God has given them as the best present they could ever have in their hearts for ever. Then they will live their lives for Jesus and tell the Christmas story to others not saved. Hopefully they will get saved. As it is a story to be Celebrated all year round. I say Amen to that as it one of the best stories in the Bible and the best present ever given to Us. From God with Love. Because he Loves Us his People So Much. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little
Dawn, we can indeed celebrate Christmas every day! <3
So proud God has kept your lovely Mum cancer free for so long. May you and your Mum be blessed for many more years together. You look so like your Mum. God is good all the time and all the time God is Good. Don Moen sings that song. You get it on Youtube. I praise God through the treatment and the Doctors He used them to heal your Mum and through that she can tell her story. Through that it will make others not saved get saved and that have cancer fight it. Not give into it. See they can win. Get healed like your Mum. She can help them also get saved. If not saved. Know God is with them all through their treatment plus all they are going through. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xxx
yes exactly..you do you ! if only all women knew that . I agree..celebrate and embrace life !! my tree is up right after rememberance day ( Nov 11) here. enjoy the things you can because life sure throws some hard stuff at us..
Love it Krissy, and yes indeed!
JESUS IS THE RESON FOR THE SEASON (the reason why wecelebrate Christmas we don’t need to celebrate Christmas just once a year. We can celebrate it all year round the story of JESUS why he came into the world. Especially for the unsaved to hear. JESUS THE BEST PRESENT WE CAN HAVE. TELL THECHRISTMAS STORY TO THE UNSAVED. NO BETTER STORY CAN YOU TELL. OR PRESENT GIVE THEM. THIS CHRISTMAS PLUS ALL YEAR ROUND. THAT SPEAKS OF GODS LOVE FOR US ALL AS HE GAVE US JESUS BORN IN A MANGER NO AIRS OR GRACES. )
That Saint Irenaeus quote is one of my most favorite! I love the way you lean into who God made you and encourage us all to do the same. xx
Thank you friend!!
Love your Grab-the-Joy attitude, Anna! So glad you included that Irenaeus quote too, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” To think our happy celebrations of Jesus’ birth highlight God’s glory just increases the joy. (P.S. That quote may be famous, but somehow I’ve somehow missed it all these years!)
Thanks Nancy! Isn’t it a wonderful quote?