How Are You Spending Your Time At Christmas?
“Christmas by the numbers: 34 hours untangling lights, 36 hours cleaning up pine needles over a lifetime,” reflects the results of a 2024 study on how our time is spent on Christmas matters during the course of a lifetime. It reports the following…
“Christmas might be a time for vacations, but it sure does require plenty of work. It turns out families are dedicating a staggering amount of time to Christmas preparations over their lifetimes. A survey of festivity enthusiasts reveals that holiday preparations consume almost five years of their lives.
The most substantial chunk of time goes to planning Christmas dinner, consuming nearly two-and-a-half years of preparation over a lifetime. In addition to meal planning, hosts spend a remarkable 164 weeks cleaning and tidying before welcoming holiday guests.
The decorating process itself presents its own time demands. People spend more than two days adorning their Christmas trees, and 34 hours untangling lights. For those with real trees, an additional 36 hours are spent picking up or vacuuming pine needles over a 63-year period.
The research also highlights the stress associated with holiday preparations, with 60% of respondents finding the season stressful and 45% wishing for ways to make it less so. The cost-of-living crisis has amplified these concerns, with 41% expecting this Christmas to be more stressful than last year.
Despite these challenges, people maintain their enthusiasm for the season. The survey revealed that spending time with family and friends (44%), enjoying festive food and drink (41%), and giving presents (34%) rank as the nation’s favorite aspects of Christmas.”
Maybe you can identify with some of those numbers. Regardless, they remind us that as we prepare for Christmas it is wise to reflect on where our time is going. Are we dedicating our time to the things that really matter like family, friends, fellowship, and most importantly our Faith. Christmas is a wonderful season, but it can also be a time of stress and distractions from the things that are most valuable. So, don’t let another one slip by without with regret.
Let’s allow the coming week to be filled with joy about our Savior and full of devotion to Him as we approach the new year!
Speaking of this week, I hope you will join us for one of our two Christmas Eve services. This year our first will be at 4:00 PM, the second will be at 6:00 PM. These are cherished traditions of worship and celebration.
January Book Study… I am excited about our forthcoming book study titled, “The 7 Resolutions: Where Self-Help Ends and God’s Power Begins.” What a perfect book for the New Year. You can pick up a copy for $10 in the Welcome Center and get an early jump on reading.
And remember, God is always trying to take us someplace new.” I love being your Pastor!
Merry CHRISTmas,
Pastor Ray
Image credit: Unsplash
“Christmas might be a time for vacations, but it sure does require plenty of work. It turns out families are dedicating a staggering amount of time to Christmas preparations over their lifetimes. A survey of festivity enthusiasts reveals that holiday preparations consume almost five years of their lives.
The most substantial chunk of time goes to planning Christmas dinner, consuming nearly two-and-a-half years of preparation over a lifetime. In addition to meal planning, hosts spend a remarkable 164 weeks cleaning and tidying before welcoming holiday guests.
The decorating process itself presents its own time demands. People spend more than two days adorning their Christmas trees, and 34 hours untangling lights. For those with real trees, an additional 36 hours are spent picking up or vacuuming pine needles over a 63-year period.
The research also highlights the stress associated with holiday preparations, with 60% of respondents finding the season stressful and 45% wishing for ways to make it less so. The cost-of-living crisis has amplified these concerns, with 41% expecting this Christmas to be more stressful than last year.
Despite these challenges, people maintain their enthusiasm for the season. The survey revealed that spending time with family and friends (44%), enjoying festive food and drink (41%), and giving presents (34%) rank as the nation’s favorite aspects of Christmas.”
Maybe you can identify with some of those numbers. Regardless, they remind us that as we prepare for Christmas it is wise to reflect on where our time is going. Are we dedicating our time to the things that really matter like family, friends, fellowship, and most importantly our Faith. Christmas is a wonderful season, but it can also be a time of stress and distractions from the things that are most valuable. So, don’t let another one slip by without with regret.
Let’s allow the coming week to be filled with joy about our Savior and full of devotion to Him as we approach the new year!
Speaking of this week, I hope you will join us for one of our two Christmas Eve services. This year our first will be at 4:00 PM, the second will be at 6:00 PM. These are cherished traditions of worship and celebration.
January Book Study… I am excited about our forthcoming book study titled, “The 7 Resolutions: Where Self-Help Ends and God’s Power Begins.” What a perfect book for the New Year. You can pick up a copy for $10 in the Welcome Center and get an early jump on reading.
And remember, God is always trying to take us someplace new.” I love being your Pastor!
Merry CHRISTmas,
Pastor Ray
Image credit: Unsplash
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