Christmas morning. Saying those words brings me back to my childhood. I remember sneaking out of my bed before dawn as a kid. My brother, sister, and I would round the turn at the top of the stairs and peak around the corner at the tree in all her glory with presents scattered around the living room. It was an extraordinary morning and almost always ended with a surprise.
My mom did Christmas well when I was a kid, keeping the magic alive and curating an environment that made Christmas morning special, magical, and full of wonder. I can maybe (maybe) tell you a handful of gifts I received on those mornings growing up, but I can absolutely describe the way Christmas morning made me feel. Safe, warm, loved, cherished, celebrated, and part of something bigger than myself.
Before we get to the magical few hours on Christmas morning, what if we prepare? Prepare our hearts for the miracle of Christmas and our homes for the abundance Christmas brings. The past few years we have done a Pre-Christmas Purge to prepare for the upcoming gifts coming into our home. It is always well received because we do it under the pretense that we will be receiving gifts very soon and others may find value in the things we no longer need or want. A Pre-Christmas purge can help us with A Simpler Christmas.
You may have seen a version of this on social media. Families are setting out a box labeled ‘Old Toys for Santa’ or a box with the child’s name on it. The idea is for kids to go through their toys and donate toys no longer used. Essentially, that is what the Pre-Christmas Purge is all about.
Maybe you are needing to implement a Pre-Christmas Purge into your home. You see the knick knacks, the books, the Chick-fil-A-whatevers piling up. Here is a breakdown of how our family does a Pre-Christmas Purge.
Pre-Christmas Purge
1. Set a Time
Since Christmas will be here (like really soon), try and implement this in the next few days or week. Put it on the calendar or your to-do list in the next day or two.
I understand there could already be 1,000 things on your to-do list at this very moment, but a little Pre-Christmas Purge doesn’t take long and I personally think it’s incredibly worth it. But if you can’t find the time, feel free to stop reading and come back after Christmas when we will do a Post-Christmas Purge.
2. Announce the Pre-Christmas Purge
Tell your family. Tell your people there is abundance in the house and you need to make room for all the fun things coming at Christmas. This would be a great time to discuss how it’s important to give to others. We always tie this in as one of our gifts to Jesus on his birthday. If you have littles, maybe start with having them find 10 things they would like to donate or give away. We always start there. Most of the time it snowballs and turns into much much more.
3. Get to it
It’s time to get to it. I think the best way to begin a Pre-Christmas Purge is by Mom or Dad initiating it. We need to lead by example. Go to your closet, the bookshelf, or the kitchen drawers and find 10 things you no longer need. Grab a bin and put the items inside, while talking to your family about it. Encourage each member of the family to find 10 things to put in the bin. As your family goes through items, decide if the items need to be recycled, trashed, or still have life and can go to a new home.
4. Praise
After everyone has found the things they want to donate, PRAISE your people! We all love some good words said about us, so let’s not hold back when our family has done something to make our homes simpler and more manageable. Praise the ones you love for purging before Christmas.
5. Donate…SOON
Take 20 minutes and get those items out of your house. Find a church, school, Goodwill, or other mission-oriented organization and donate those items. I speak from experience when I say if you keep them around, there is a good chance those toys and books and what-nots could creep back into your home. Make it a learning experience and take your kids to help you with the drop off and grab hot cocoa after.
A Pre-Christmas Purge always makes me feel lighter and the incoming plethora of gifts from the ones we love more exciting and manageable. It allows me to accept the gifts without thinking about where we are going to put them or how we are going to manage them. The Pre-Christmas Purge sincerely allows me to enjoy the season a tiny bit more.
Tell me, will you do a Pre-Christmas Purge this year? If time isn’t on your side, stay tuned for a Post-Christmas Purge coming after the big day.
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