It’s the twenty-first of December, and it looks like I’m going to make it. Christmas has always been an emotional challenge for me. Whenever I hear someone say this is their favorite time of year or excitedly declare that they love everything about Christmas, I have to fight off the urge to cringe. After all, I really do want to love Christmas. But it’s just so hard.

Like many people, my Christmas issues began in childhood. The holidays were not a particularly happy time in our house. As I got older, I guess I never figured out how to change the way I felt about Christmas. Thus, the holiday season weighs on me—especially the pressure associated with giving gifts. No matter how much I give or serve, I always feel like I haven’t done enough. I wonder if there’s such a thing as a Christmas life coach.

It helps to count my blessings and reflect on what I’m grateful for at Christmas. I am grateful for the opportunity to celebrate God’s precious gift of His Son, the Savior of mankind. I am grateful this time of year inspires people to serve others and to be a little more kind. Usually, the colored lights, festive decorations, and joyful carols make me smile. And I love Christmas socks, because well, they’re SOCKS.

Some beautiful thoughts my sister Julie posted online:

“For anyone who needs to hear this…[While] cleaning my house, I stopped in my tracks and…cried for over an hour with memories of what this time used to be for me and how it was [once] filled with such love and anticipation – and now it brings back memories of the reality of emptiness and sadness.

So, I would like to remind you that there are people [who] for whatever reason are not looking forward to Christmas. Some people are not surrounded by large wonderful families. Some of us have problems during the holidays and are overcome with great sadness when we remember the loved ones who are not with us any longer. For many it is their first Christmas without a particular loved one, and many others [have] lost loved ones at Christmas. And, many people have no one to spend these times with and are besieged by loneliness. We all need caring, loving thoughts right now.”

Yes, we do. Here’s hoping everyone can find moments of peace and joy this Christmas.