Christmas Series Part 1 — The Gift of Slowing Down
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December has a way of speeding up before we even notice.
One moment you’re flipping the calendar, and the next you’re sprinting through stores, juggling family plans, replying to messages, and pretending your body isn’t begging you to rest. Christmas begins to feel like a countdown of responsibilities instead of moments that steady the heart.
A friend once told me a story that feels like many of our lives.
She was standing in her kitchen late at night, wrapping gifts she barely remembered buying. The house was quiet, but her mind wasn’t. All day she had been rushing — from work, to a school concert, to the grocery store, to preparing for yet another gathering.
Her daughter walked by and asked gently,
“Mom… did you even see me sing tonight?”
She froze.
Her first instinct was to say yes — because she had been physically present. But as the words formed, she realized the truth: she remembered recording the song, but not experiencing it.
She had been present… but unavailable.
That moment stayed with her.
Not because she failed, but because she suddenly understood that rushing through life doesn’t mean you’re living it. December, especially, has a way of pulling us into motion without meaning.
Most of us feel that.
We move so fast we forget what this season is meant to cultivate: peace, presence, connection, quiet gratitude.
It’s not that we don’t care — we’re tired, stretched, and doing the best we can. But somewhere in the middle of getting everything “done,” we forget to pause long enough to breathe deeply, listen fully, or feel honestly.
Sometimes the wake-up call comes softly.
Other times, it comes through a child’s innocent question.
And when we finally pause, we start to notice all the ways we rush through the beauty of this season without meaning to.
✨ The 12 Days of Christmas We Rush Through…
The day we rush past our morning peace — the moment that shapes the whole day.
The day we rush through conversations — hearing words but missing hearts.
The day we rush through meals — feeding our schedules, not our bodies.
The day we rush past hugs — forgetting they may be someone’s anchor.
The day we rush through emotions — promising we’ll feel “later.”
The day we rush through gatherings — physically there, internally elsewhere.
The day we rush past rest — wearing exhaustion like it’s normal.
The day we rush past memories — avoiding grief that still needs space.
The day we rush through giving — focusing on price instead of presence.
The day we rush through reflection — checking spiritual boxes without connection.
The day we rush past ourselves — ignoring signs our soul needs slowing.
The day we rush through Christmas itself — missing the meaning meant to steady us.
Before reading on, pause for just a moment:
Which one felt uncomfortably familiar?
That’s the area your heart may be inviting you to slow down.
These “12 days” aren’t meant to create guilt — they’re reminders that slowing down isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity for emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
✨ Practical Ways to Reclaim Peace This December
1. Create One Small Quiet Moment Each Day
You don’t need an hour.
You need one intentional moment where nothing pulls at you.
A breath. A pause. A grounding.
A parent I know sits in her car for two minutes before walking inside — no phone, no noise. She calls it her “reset before re-entering.”
2. Replace “I Have To” With “I Get To”
Not for everything — but where it fits, it shifts the heart.
“I have to shop for gifts” becomes
“I get to show love through giving.”
3. Choose Presence Over Perfection
Children won’t remember the perfect tree.
Guests won’t remember the controlled schedule.
But everyone remembers how you made them feel.
Presence is what leaves fingerprints on the heart.
4. Say No When Your Peace Is at Risk
You cannot be everywhere.
You cannot please everyone.
Protecting your well-being is responsible, not selfish.
5. Honour Both Joy and Grief
The season carries both.
Let yourself feel what’s real.
Christmas doesn’t demand emotional pretending — it invites emotional honesty.
6. Anchor Days in Meaning, Not Motion
Read something grounding.
Pray.
Reflect.
Sit in stillness long enough to hear God whispering reminders of who you are.
✨ Faith Reflection
Even Jesus stepped away from the crowds. Not because He lacked strength, but because He valued connection over constant activity.
If the Son of God made room for stillness, then slowing down isn’t a failure of productivity — it’s a return to alignment.
It’s in quiet spaces that clarity comes, peace returns, and our spirit remembers what matters.
✨ Closing Reflection
As you enter this season, ask yourself:
Which of these twelve days am I rushing through the most — and what small shift could help me reclaim the peace God intended for this time of year?
Please don’t hesitate to pass this on to anyone who may find it valuable.
Inspired story: The Joy of Giving — Blessed Ways of Life
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