My chorus sings a song called “Christmas Is a Feeling.” Its final words linger long after the last chord fades:
Christmas is a feeling filling the air,
It’s love and joy and laughter of people everywhere.
But if Christmas is a feeling bringing such good cheer,
Then why, oh, why don’t you and I
Try to make it last all year?
Why can’t it last all year?
The ending is similar to another beloved song we once had in our repertoire, “CHRISTmas”:
Let us honor him, keeping Christ within
Our Christmastime this year.
Keep Christ in your Christmas this year (this year).
The only real difference between the two sentiments is that one song asks a question while the other makes a request. Both lift up a thought that’s worthwhile:
Think about it. If we really wanted to, we could make the feelings associated with Christmas last 12 months – not just during the waning days of December. What’s more, our Savior could always be on our minds.
Of course, I’m not talking about Hallmark’s “Christmas in July” or the endless parade of Christmas movies that takes over our screens from October through January. As festive as they are, that’s not the kind of year-round Christmas I mean. I’m talking about something quieter and deeper – the spirit behind the season, not the season itself.
So what are some practical ways we might keep that Christmas feeling alive long after the tree needles have hit the floor? I’m glad you asked. Below is a simple checklist – not a set of resolutions to guilt us, but gentle invitations to help us remember the heart of the season.
– Look for someone to encourage every day. It doesn’t have to be dramatic – a text, a handwritten note, a sincere compliment in the grocery store line. Christmas reminds us that small lights can shine beautifully in the dark.
– Give anonymously once in a while. Drop off a small gift without signing your name. Pay for the order behind you. Send a card with no return address. There’s a quiet joy in kindness that seeks no applause.
– Keep one Christmas verse close at hand. Choose a scripture that anchors the season for you – maybe Luke 2:11, Isaiah 9:6 or John 1:14 – and place it where you’ll see it daily. Let the truth of it settle into your spirit.
– Practice “wide-margin living.” Christmas may fill our calendars to the brim, but even in the bustle we’re reminded how important it is to make room for people. Try leaving small pockets of space throughout your week – time to listen, time to breathe, time to be present.
– Hold onto your sense of wonder. The world can feel ordinary by mid-January, but God’s presence is anything but ordinary. Notice beauty: a sunset, a child’s laugh, the way cold air feels crisp and clean. Wonder is worship in disguise.
– Remember the Source of the season. Set your heart – not just your calendar – on Christ. Make space for prayer, scripture reading and gratitude not because you “should,” but because that’s how love grows deep roots.
– Sing more. Yes, truly. Sing. Music softens the edges of our days and lifts our spirits in ways little else can. A simple hymn in the kitchen, a carol in the car or a refrain sung with friends can nudge our hearts back toward the joy and peace we associate with Christmas. Sharing music with others multiplies the blessing. It’s one of the easiest ways to carry Christmas forward.
As it happens, my chorus – Southern A’Chord – would love to share that joy with you this week. Our holiday program, “Christmas A’Chording to Us,” is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church of Ruston, 212 N. Bonner. Admission is free, and refreshments and a social time will follow.
We’d be delighted to have you join us as we celebrate the season – and perhaps plant a few sparks of Christmas joy to carry into the new year.
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Sallie Rose Hollis lives in Ruston and retired from Louisiana Tech as an associate professor of journalism and the assistant director of the News Bureau. She can be contacted at sallierose@mail.com.
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