We often recognize the beginning of the harvest season by the natural signs around us. The golden light of autumn stretches long over the fields in the afternoon, the darkness arrives earlier and earlier every day, the leaves fall, and animals all around prepare for winter.  The season of harvest invites us into a slower, more intentional rhythm as nature itself seems to whisper “rest is coming”.

In a world obsessed with hustle, the harvest season offers a counter-cultural invitation: slow down. Look back, reflect, quiet your soul, give thanks. Jesus Himself modeled this rhythm for us- withdrawing often to pray, rest, and commune with His Father. As nature around us begins to still, we are invited to follow His example. The coming of winter can be a sacred time to hear God’s voice more clearly, realign our hearts and priorities, savor time with family, and prepare for what lies ahead.

And yet, as we approach the holiday season, it can be difficult to embrace this invitation. Our culture seems to amp up during this time- glorifying busyness, filling schedules, chasing after sales and stuff, putting off rest until rest is forced (either through sickness or overwhelm). We can choose to join in or we can choose to walk in the ancient paths- to be people of presence, to simplify, to savor, to live more meaningfully, to find rest for our souls.

In order to live this way, we need to take a new approach to the upcoming holiday season. First, we must create vision. How do you want your family to think about and celebrate the holidays? What things are most important to you? What traditions do you want to implement? What do you want your children to remember about this time? We can often become consumed with the lesser things because we don’t have a clear vision to steer us in the direction we want to go. Creating vision acts as a guiding force that allows you to stay focused on what is most important.

Secondly, we must be intentional now. Just as the animals prepare for winter while it is still autumn, we must prepare for what we want. While the vision sets our focus, making a plan gets us to where we want to be. For example, if you want to spend more time meditating on the meaning of the Advent season as a family, you can select the materials you are going to use ahead of time, pray and prepare your heart now to lead your family towards Christ. If you want to prioritize a slower schedule with more time to create new traditions at home, you will intentionally and prayerfully consider your calendar as you decide what to say “yes” to.

Here are a few practical ideas for how you can prepare now in order to embrace rest this holiday season:

• Unplug from social media: Social media is easily one of the greatest drivers of hustle, comparison, and disconnect during the holiday season. Every time you scroll, there is a temptation to do more, buy more, have more. Unplugging before the holiday season begins can help you guard your heart, be present with loved ones, and focus on your own family’s vision and traditions.
• Prepare freezer meals: One helpful way to plan for rest this holiday season is to prepare a few freezer meals. It can be such a blessing to have a meal that can be pulled out at any time. The next time you’re making something that could be doubled, set aside half and put it in the freezer. Your future self will thank you for putting in the extra effort now.
• Plan for Advent now: The beginning of the Advent season can tend to sneak up after Thanksgiving. Set aside some time in the next few weeks to choose how you want to celebrate Advent. Select the materials you would like to use, make a plan for outings and any other special activities or events you want your family to do/attend together. Look at your calendar and decide what aligns best with your vision so that you aren’t pulled in a million different directions when the time comes around.
• Make a gift list/sale list and stick to it: It’s undeniable that many businesses run good sales around the holiday season. However, it can be easy to overspend and overpurchase during this time. Set aside a time in the next few weeks to look over your budget together with your spouse and make a plan for what you would like to purchase. Think through gifts for each member of your family and make a list so that when the time comes you are less likely to purchase things on impulse and can be more intentional with your selections.
• Begin making/preparing homemade gifts: One way to foster a more meaningful Christmas is to make gifts, rather than buy them. You don’t have to be a crafty person in order to create gifts at home. The internet abounds with ideas, from homemade vanilla syrup, to soup mixes, to sugar scrubs, candles, and artwork. Maybe this is the year you learn how to sew or crochet and teach your children in the process. Kids can also get involved making treats or handmade bookmarks, cards, or artwork for family members.

Finally, as you prepare your home from the coming holiday season, consider how you can also prepare your heart. What spiritual nourishment do you need? What habits or disciplines will help you stay anchored in Christ this winter and holiday season? How can you intentionally lean into a slower pace and set aside time to reflect back on the year? The word “remember” appears in the Old Testament approximately 169 times. God knows better than we do just how easily we can blaze through life and forget who He is and what He has done. The harvest is a time set aside to remember and to celebrate. What things did you see God do in the past year and how can you rejoice and celebrate those answered prayers or the fruit you saw produced? What hope can you carry into the new year as you think back on God’s faithfulness over this last year? Lean in, remember, and rejoice.

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