The creaking chains of the bench swing played in rhythm to the steady pulse of the staple gun as I thumbed through a book. My dad worked at a consistent pace to secure the oversized, colorful bulbs to the roof.

Hours later my sisters and I stood back to admire his labor. Each bulb a different color from the one next to it. A few bulbs down the colors repeated. A pattern formed. During the day there was nothing spectacular about those lights. But at night they would light up the house, reflecting off our faces, lighting up our hearts.

I remember the lights. Memories are like those lights.

Memories. We all have them. We all create them. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes through simply doing life. A moment becomes engraved in the heart and the mind.

Memories carry a light into the heart of a child. This light shines, lighting up each spot of the heart, it’s found a home. When we experience the ups and downs of life, the memories shine their light. Those lights remind the child they are loved, cherished, valued.

As moms we desire to fill the hearts of our children with memories they will carry with them through life. The Christmas season is a time sparkling with lights and opportunities to create these moments.

The sweetest memories we can plant into our child’s heart are the simplest ones. The simple moments don’t have to fight to find a space in the heart. They go right in and take up residence. Then they wait in hopes of lighting up that heart when the time is right.

I want to encourage you to simplify your thoughts about Christmas. Free yourself from the pressure to create the perfect Christmas. Let go of the anxiety that wants to choke every ounce of joy from your soul. Free yourself from exhaustion as you plan out a season that your child will never forget.

It’s so much simpler than we realize, but we live in a world that is highly visual, and we see displays of extravagant breakfasts cut into the shapes of reindeer. We see friends who have little elves in their home that put on amazing performances every single night. We see pictures of gifts wrapped under a tree fit for a department store display. Here’s what we are seeing: The very best of someone’s Christmas. The very best memory, the very best gift, the very best decorations, the very best party planning. We see the very best of everyone, and we compare it to our everything.

And though we might not admit it, a whisper tells us we are failing; we aren’t creating enough magic. Our kids will be disappointed. But it’s simply not true. You see, what our kids want most is time with us. We can do that, Moms!

So, let’s make a pact. Let’s let go of the stress and pressure to have the perfect Christmas. Let’s replace the perfect Christmas with the intentional Christmas. Let’s give it all we’ve got.

Let’s fill it full with simple moments. A cup of hot chocolate while we sit and talk about all the ways we are blessed. A night drive in pajamas looking at lights talking about the One who came to be the light of the world. A note slipped under the tree telling your child all the gifts they’ve brought into your life. Eating cookies by the tree as you look into their eyes. A bowl of soup you warm and package with fresh bread and deliver to one who may be lonely this time of year. Simple moments.

Simple moments don’t cause anxiety. Simple moments don’t cause us to dread the season. Simple moments add a richness we won’t fully realize until many years down the road.

Let’s make this Christmas the best ever – by lighting up the hearts of our children moment by moment with a light that shines forever.

Enter for a chance to win one of two copies of Seeking Christmas – Finding the True Meaning Through Family Traditions.

Author’s note:  I wrote a 7 day family devotion, Seeking Christmas – Finding the True Meaning Through Family Traditions. The goal of this devotion is to guide families into activities that will create memories and traditions to last forever. Your children will not outgrow Seeking Christmas. A free download is available at www.renee-robinson.com to create ornaments that accompany the lesson each day. For more information visit Renee-Robinson.com.

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Renee Robinson

Renee Robinson is a writer and speaker on topics of family and everyday faith. She is the author of Seeking Christmas--Finding the True Meaning Through Family Traditions. Renee writes weekly on her inspirational blog where she writes to inspire a beautiful journey. Renee is married to her high school sweetheart. She and her husband have three boys and live in Davidson, North Carolina. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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