Beware of the post-Christmas letdown! What can we do to prevent our children (and ourselves) from slipping into the post-Christmas slump? Here are a few ideas to help us ready our families to keep moving forward when all the lights and decorations come down.

  1. Make your Christmas celebrations and preparations about more than gifts.

Family Time Training has some terrific Advent Resources you can use with your family to keep your family’s focus on Jesus this Christmas! Click that last sentence for a link to three advent training books. Though you’re likely reading this after Advent has begun (11/27/22), you can do the advent activities at any time. Some families do one activity each of the four weeks leading up to Christmas, some families do all four activities in the last week before Christmas, and some families choose one or two activities to do together at some point in their festivities. Whatever you choose to do, make sure that Jesus is the focus of His birthday celebration!

  1. Leave one of your Nativity Sets up until January 6th. 

January 6th is a day many people celebrate the coming of the magi to bring gifts to Jesus as Messiah, King, and Sacrifice. Plan to remind your children that no matter when the wisemen came to celebrate Jesus (and no matter how many wise men there actually were), the reminder for us to give everything to Jesus as an act of thankfulness for all He’s given to us.

  1. Plan something special to do together in January.

Many people really do struggle after Christmas. We spend months preparing for our Christmas celebrations – decorating, friend and family get-togethers, gift giving and time off school and work. The next thing people look forward to celebrating is either the Superbowl or Valentine’s Day (and this year they’re only 2 days apart), so plan something for your family to do together in January. 

Need Some Ideas? You could:

  • plan a service project (serving at a local food bank, collecting socks to donate to a local rescue mission, or writing a “You are loved” card to deliver to shut-ins from your church – with some tea and cookies). 
  • plan a little overnight getaway nearby just to change the scenery and go to a different museum than you normally go to.
  • Make up your own Holiday and do a Family Time activity while celebrating your new holiday – like crazy socks night, backward day (food, clothing, everything), or Orange Night (eat only orange foods and learn about the benefits of eating and cleaning with oranges)!

Whatever you decide to do, take some time to be thankful together for your special memories from Christmastime while looking forward to what God has next for your family in 2023!

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 

What can you plan now to do in January to encourage your family?