Christmas is my most favorite time of the year.  I know, you must hear that a lot.  I can truly tell you that when November rolls around, I am ready to start decking the halls and wrapping presents.  Yes, I am one of those people, and yes, I do love Thanksgiving and fall, but who says you can’t already have a few decorations up when you sit down to carve the Thanksgiving turkey? 

Part of my love of the Holidays comes from owning a small, retail store The Shoppes at Fourth and Cherry in Ocilla, GA.  This is the time of year that my shop looks the prettiest.  Ornaments and twinkle lights have a magical way of transforming a space and, of course, there is always lots of glitter!  Sales are good, so the normal worries of small business subside, temporarily.  People coming in are usually happy and excited to pick out the perfect gift for the special folks on their list.  Cakes and casseroles are being picked up, children are counting down the days to Santa and we can’t wrap gifts fast enough to keep up!  I am usually happily checking off names on my list and finding great joy in picking out gifts that my special folks will really love.  This time of year is usually so exciting!  Usually.

To be perfectly honest with you, I am struggling this year.  I am not super sad or depressed, just having trouble getting into the spirit of the season.  I am low on Holiday cheer.  I have found myself not super excited about Christmas shopping or wrapping presents. (Check my temperature!) I have struggled to throw together a Christmas party for my Shoppes family, an event I usually look forward to all year.  I have not put up one single decoration at my house.  I am also pretty sure that I am not the only one who is experiencing a holiday cheer deficiency this year. 

I am surrounded by so many who have lost loved ones, are dealing with illness, or are going through a divorce. It seems extra hard to summon your Holiday cheer from within when you are feeling burdened by the state of the community around you.  Burdened by the fact that there are not enough hours in the day to call or send notes to all who are hurting.  Burdened by the fact there are more foster children than I can count from my community that will be wishing they were home this Christmas, in their own beds and wishing they had family to love and take care of them.  Basically, burdened by the needs, both spiritually and physically, of my community, and feeling like there is not enough of “me” to go around!  It seems selfish to focus on gifts and parties when there are so many who are hurting and in need.​ 

​So, what should I do about this holiday cheer problem?  Be a scrooge and just not celebrate this year? Just let Christmas pass and pretend it is not happening?  Well, I don’t think that is the answer to the problem at all.  There are people that need me.  They need me to be cheerful, to greet them with a smile, and to show them the love of Christ, no matter how I am feeling on the inside.  I know you have all heard the phrase “fake it til’ you make it.”  There really is something to that.  The act of going through the motions, even if you heart is not in your task.  I believe that if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep showing up and being faithful, your heart will catch up with you eventually.    

I have decided that I will keep singing my favorite Christmas songs. I will keep greeting folks with a smile, and be as loving as I can be.  I will write notes and visit with as many hurting folks as I can.  I will keep collecting shoes for foster children and praying for their comfort and peace this holiday season. 

 I will have a great time at our Shoppes Christmas party and celebrate our 14th year in business together!  I will take great joy in wrapping my gifts and giving them to my loved ones.   Most of all, I will remember that my life is not my own, my time is not my own, and this Christmas season is just that, a season.  This season of my life will pass and another will follow.  My purpose here on earth is to love and to share the good news of Jesus.  To be burdened and aware of the hurt of those around you is essential in being able to encourage and love those around you. ​

If you are feeling burdened this year by life’s circumstances, take heart in knowing that this season may pass, but Christ is sovereign and eternal and his love is with you always.  Go home and put a wreath on your door.  Take some goodies to your neighbor and put on your favorite Christmas music.  Spend some time focusing on those around you, and I promise, your heart will catch up.  Even as I was writing this, a very sweet foster mother in town brought in a bag of shoes and a coat for our clothing closet.  Don’t you just love those little encouraging “winks” from God, to remind you that He is standing right with you? This sweet act of kindness inspired me to go home last night and decorate my mantel, hang up our stockings and put a wreath on the door!  

I looked ahead to December 25th in my daily devotional book, “Streams in the Desert,” to find a little inspiration for this blog.  I love the power in the simplicity of this thought:  Let us be glad and rejoice today, because He has come.  And let us remember the proclamation of the angel: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord!” (Luke 2:10-11)  

Let’s be about the Lord’s business this holiday season and in the coming year. Let’s make it a point to be aware of the needs of our community and see that burden as a blessing, not a curse.  Opportunities to share the "good news of great joy," the love of Jesus to a hurting world!    
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My Dad (to whom we lovingly refer as "The Wizard") would tell you that this step is the most important one. He has a 10ft tall faux Frasier Fir that he puts over 1100 lights on every year. You have to put your sunglasses on just to enter his home through the front door. I am not as patient as he is, though I do believe you need a well-lit tree. If you have a pre-lit tree, then just plug in and you are ready to roll, unless of course some of your lights won’t come on! If you are putting your own lights on your tree then start at the bottom of the tree at the back and begin to work your way around. You also want to run the lights up and down the branches as you work your way around so that your tree has lights in the center as well as the outer branches. Remember you should have no more than 3 strands of lights connecting to each other. If you have a large tree you may need to run an extension cord up the center of the trunk to start a new strand of lights. If you end up with extra lights at the top of the tree you can run them down the center of the tree to help illuminate it from the inside out. 

Step 2: The Topper 

Many would save the topper until last but I like to put it on before I do anything else. If you choose to use a classic simple topper then this will not take you long. If you like to have a bow at the top of your tree, it is good to put it on first so you can place the tails where you want them without having to worry about bumping your ornaments. I like to put unusual things in the tops of my trees. You will see from the sample pictures that the sky is the limit! From wooden reindeer to chandeliers, we are willing to try anything! ​

If you choose something like a chandelier that lights up, you will need to run a separate extension cord up the middle of your tree to the top to plug the topper in. Do not plug this item in to your lights! If you choose to use a bird’s nest, or bird cage, wooden cut out, etc. you will need to affix it to the top of the tree with a little floral wire. If you will wrap the wire with floral tape first it will not damage or scrape your decorative items and will be easier to work with. Sometimes I also like to add large branches, or stems of berries in the top of the tree. These will usually secure themselves in the braches but if you have trouble, just grab your trusty floral wire. 

I hope this little tutorial was helpful! Try out these tips and post your pics to The Southern Mercantile Facebook page. We’d love to see your handiwork! 

Don't forget to stop by our Holiday category to take a look at our Christmas selection!