Let’s make this a THING! I have spotted FaceBook posts of families doing intentional, thoughtful things this season that aim to slow down the crazy roll we find ourselves on as Christmas approaches. The posts are marked #unrushedchristmas. One family posted pictures of a visit to a local restaurant that has massive outdoor decorations. They took their time looking at each one, and the children did a little dancing to the outdoor Christmas music that was playing on the loudspeakers. Another mom posted that she grabbed a cup of coffee and drove down our beach road to look at decorations rather than travel our busy and business-packed bypass. #unrushedchristmas is a movement aimed at creating mindfulness in each day of Advent so that we don’t arrive at Christmas exhausted and resentful.

What a supremely marvelous idea!

It occurs to me as I read these accounts that being unrushed in this season pays homage to the first Christmas, where nothing was or could be rushed. Think about the journey Mary and Joseph found themselves taking. Because a census was being conducted, they had to travel back to their hometown of Bethlehem, on a donkey and on foot. You don’t go anywhere fast with those modes of transportation.

Luke 2 (The Message)

2 ^1-5 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

To put this into context, the distance between Nazareth and Bethlehem is almost 100 miles. At a good pace, that would be about 10 days of walking, and remember, Mary was just about ready to give birth. Nothing happened fast that first Christmas.

Neither should it today.

How can you slow down, take a deep breath, and breathe in all the glory, wonder, and majesty of the season? What can you do TODAY to unrush your rushing around? What can you let go of, simplify, or release, so that the season takes on a more humane pace?

I suppose the real question is, do you really need all that perfection?

Everyone longs for the perfect Christmas, the perfect tree, the perfect table setting, the perfect dinner, and the perfect gift. And we should know better. These things do not exist, yet every year we frantically pursue the perfect Christmas like it’s our JOB.

Stop.

Think.

Simplify.

Worship.

Adore.

Breathe.

Unrush yourself, and join in the awe and wonder of the miracle.

If it helps, imagine yourself walking almost 100 miles to get to Christmas. No matter how fast or slow you go, it will still be there. Christmas comes, whether we think we are ready for it or not. So sloooooow down and be mindful. Stop trying to create the perfect Christmas. Slow down and sit at the manger for a moment. Jesus deserves our full attention for his birthday.

Be #unrushed.

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