Unwrapping Christmas: Anxiety Doesn’t Get to be the Star
Does Christmas ever hit you with a wave of anxiety? I know it has for me. We’re talking everything from the budget that barely stretches (remember those $125-per-kid Christmases?), to navigating family gatherings that could come with a side of stress. And that pressure—to make it all look just right, to measure up to some invisible standard of 'enough'—can get heavy. It’s like anxiety weaves itself into your daily outfit, just like that favorite holiday sweater, only not nearly as cozy.
Especially during the holidays, anxiety feels like it’s on a mission to win. But here’s the good news: it doesn’t get to. God’s word is exactly what we need to fight back. When we decide to tune out the noise, the pressures, the things telling us we’re lacking, and instead focus on what He says, something shifts. It’s like hope sneaks back in and finds a home in us, even when there’s no perfect Christmas décor in sight.
It’s all too easy to let anxiety feel 'normal,' isn’t it? I used to think I just had to live with it. But what we accept as normal is what shows up every day until we decide, “Nope, not letting that be my daily vibe anymore.” And it’s the same with anxiety. Choosing to let God’s word rewire our thoughts, reset our hearts—it breaks the grip anxiety tries to have.
Christmas Action Steps to Keep Anxiety in Check
Fill up on His Promises: Write down His promises, stick them where you’ll see them. God’s word is more than words on a page; it’s life. It revives, renews, and, dare I say, makes you ready to stand strong when life gets heavy.
Focus on God’s Truth, Not the World’s Noise: There’s a world out there ready to tell you what you lack or how you’re not measuring up. But God? He’s saying you’re loved, chosen, enough. Imagine walking into this season with that kind of confidence. “She laughs without fear of the future,” Proverbs 31:25 reminds us—now that’s a Christmas vibe worth having.
Pray with Thanks: Think of prayer as your daily stocking stuffer. Fill it with gratitude. Paul’s words, “Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing” (Philippians 4:6 TPT), were made for moments like this. Overflow with gratitude, and watch peace take over.
Leave it in His Hands: Remember that old song, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”? There’s more truth in that than all the seasonal sales or gift lists combined. When we trust God, it’s like giving Him the wrapping paper and saying, “You take this; you know how to make it all come together.”
Be Kind to Yourself: I can be my own worst critic, especially around the holidays when expectations sneak in. But God didn’t make a mistake creating you; He didn’t go halfway. If He sees beauty in you, isn’t it time you start seeing it too?
Choose Joy Every Day: A cheerful heart truly is medicine. Laugh a little—or a lot. Joy is contagious, and when you lean into it, it becomes a shield against anxiety’s grip. As Psalm 71:23 says, “I will shout and sing your praises for all you are to me—Savior, lover of my soul!” Joy isn’t just a feeling; it’s a choice to see the good in what God has given.
So here’s my challenge for this Christmas: take it one day at a time, leaning into God’s word with each step. A year from now, you’ll be in a whole new place because He’s at work, creating the masterpiece He always intended you to be.
Making Jesus the Focus of this Season,
Tracee Padilla
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