Practical Ways To Spread Joy During The Holidays

The holidays are supposed to be “The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!” As we have said on this blog many times, the reality is that there isn’t always “Peace On Earth, Good Will Toward Men.”

This week is a practical reminder on how to spread Joy at Christmas.

We have talked about the importance of mental health, depression, and family dynamics at Christmas time. So, let’s take it a step further and get practical with holiday activities that spread joy!

In what can be some of the loneliest times of the year, spreading joy can be a real solution to the depression and anxiety so prevalent in this generation.

We’ve all seen The Grinch. Or even A Christmas Carol. It’s easy to be critical or cynical or to be weighed down by everything. So, let’s turn this season from gloom to It’s A Wonderful Life!

PRACTICAL WAYS TO SPREAD JOY:

1. Be Cheerful - be kind, manners, cheerful, smile, treats for delivery person

2. Open up your home - invite people who are alone, movie night, and a meal

3. Secret Santa - bring groceries to classmates, neighbors, or an organization

4. Deck The Halls - drop off decorations for a family that may not have them

5. Encouraging messages - send a daily text to phone message

6. Mend a broken relationship - life is too short, and we are not promised tomorrow

7. Caroling - this is great for the family or church who carol and for those who hear it

8. Volunteering - volunteer work at a soup kitchen or local hospital is easy to do

9. Visitation - spending time at the nursing home, or, visiting shut-ins

10. Generosity - gifts, help at work, bake cookies, go through your closet

11. Invite people to church - to hear the gospel and the deeper meaning of Christmas

12. Family dinner - go around the table and give encouragement and words of affirmation

Finally

In what can be some of the loneliest times of the year, families can be a real solution to the depression and anxiety so prevalent in this generation

Doing these practical things will spread joy and bring hope and ultimately change to a society desperately in need of a reprieve from shopping, debt, loneliness, and the commercialism that comes with the holidays.

It really is not very difficult to restore the true meaning of Christmas through some simple principles that bring Joy To The World!