These days between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be filled with either lots of joy or loads of stress. What makes them happy or nerve wracking is all in how you as a couple plan to handle them. Many spouses struggle because one wants heavenly peace while the other wants to deck the halls. If you and your mate have different ideas about what makes these days merry and bright, here are four suggestions that might help you get ready.
1. Set realistic expectations. What do you want this holiday season to feel like? Relaxed or action packed? Talk about what your holiday expectations are as a couple for you and your family. Discuss your calendar. How busy do you want to be? Plan your budget. How much do you want to spend? And maybe even talk about that big family dinner menu. Compromise may be a gift you can give to each other.
2. Guard your time together. Don’t let the crowded calendar of the holidays snuff out your couple time. Schedule some dates in advance, and build the rest of your schedule around them. These are going to be more important than most of what is going to be on your docket. You need to make sure that you stay connected during the hubbub of the season.
3. Keep Christ in Christmas. The holidays provide plenty of opportunities to focus on the true reason for the season. One way is to get your family involved in giving to those who are less fortunate. Serve food at a local church or mission, or sing carols at the retirement village, help your kids give their toys away to others. Make sure that your decorations and celebrations are Christ centered to help you keep the true meaning of Christmas front and center.
4. Deal with conflict quickly. All this hustle and bustle of these days is a breeding ground for conflict. The keys to resolving disagreements well are to attack the problem, not the person, and to seek a win-win solution…not an “I win, you lose” mentality. Don’t let unresolved conflicts ruin your celebration of the Prince of Peace. Taking the time to prepare for this special season with your spouse and family may truly make this the most wonderful time of the year.
