I find that traditions, music and fragrances have a lot to do with the "Spirit of Christmas."  What are the traditions in your family?  What have you done in the past that has become a precious memory now?  Doing those traditional things at the start of the season goes a long way towards "Getting us into the Spirit of Christmas."

Some of the best traditions are food and smell-related.  I think that there’s something special God programmed into us that ties memories and emotions with smell.  So I’m going to try to help you along today by providing one of the most notable smells of Christmas free for you as my gift! 

To download this free gift, just click on the picture and a window will pop up.  It’s a jpeg file that most all computers should be able to handle and print.  I included the individual card(s) and created a layout that you can print, fold and glue to make a perfect two-sided card if you haven’t worked with graphics before.

Are you struggling to get into "The Spirit of Christmas" this year?  The older we get, sometimes the harder it is to find the magic of Christmas.  I’ve been listening to a couple of local talk show radio broadcasts and have heard that lament from many people and yet a lot of others are calling in saying they’re enjoying the season immensely.  I’ve heard an interesting common thread in those that are in the mood….

They’re thinking of others and doing things for others and not waiting for the "feeling" to happen!  The other callers seem fixed on the feeling to start doing the fun things related to the season.   If you want to get into the Spirit of Christmas today, maybe making a plate or two of gingerbread cookies, printing out the recipe card and tieing it on with a lovely ribbon and taking it to a friend’s house, your child’s classroom, the teachers at school, or a nursing hom will be just the thing to bring the magic into your own heart!

Another way to get into the Spirit of Christmas is to remember the Reason for the Season.  One way I’m doing that this year is by including a portion of the scripture’s account of the first Christmas each day.  You can go back through these posts to right after Thanksgiving to start with us if you wish, or pick up your own bible and start at the book of Luke in the New Testament.

THE CHRISTMAS STORY:  Luke 2:1-7
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
NIV