“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

Well, it’s that time of year again. The time when Christmas music starts on Thanksgiving Day, or before, in stores and on the radio. You may have also noticed that some stores even begin having Christmas inventory just after Halloween! Yes-It is the holiday season when we see beautiful Christmas lights going up, and people driving down the street with Christmas trees tied to their car roofs.

5 Weeks to Year-Round Christmas Spirit

For me, one of the things that catches my attention most during this special time of year—something that piques my interest during this 5 week holiday season that officially traditionally goes from Thanksgiving Day to New Years, is that many people just seem different. And I mean for the better. How? Well, they often seem more joyous and generous; more caring, uplifted & upbeat, a little kinder, and yes—even more forgiving of others.

People seem more apt to put aside their differences with others, practice patience as they allow others to cut in front of them in parking lots and on the road, open doors for total strangers, and give others gifts with their hard earned money. Some people even attend church once a year just at Christmastime, so the Christmas Spirit can surely help us to grow in our faith. Yes—people just seem different as they revel in, and share, the Christmas Spirit with others.

So this yearly phenomenon begs the question: If the holiday season can bring out the best in so many people, is it possible to have year-round Christmas Spirit? I think so! Why? Because if we can be kinder, gentler, more caring and forgiving--even if just temporarily for 5 weeks--it clearly shows we are capable of doing it every day.

You may be thinking that change is really hard. In fact, many people don’t like change. But the truth is, by New Years Day, many of us have lived with the Christmas Spirit for a while, and it just shows that we are capable of keeping it going. But like most things, it is a choice. So, if we want to adopt a year-round Christmas Spirit, how can we do it?

As is the case with most things, the answer is easily found in Holy Scripture in Galatians 5:22-23, which talks about the Fruit of the Holy Spirit that Jesus gave us after his death and resurrection, as our guide and advocate.  So what is the Fruit of the Spirit? Well, let’s take a look at the following Bible passage about the Fruit of the Spirit. It reads like this:

 “But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (endurance), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control….

Galatians 5:22-23

I don’t know about you, but I think the Fruit of the [Holy] Spirit sure sounds like the Christmas Spirit to me? Well, I believe it is very, very similar. As believing Christians, these are the traits that Jesus embraced during His time on earth. As believing Christians, these are the things that we also can embrace and experience and share to walk this walk, travel tis road we call life. Imagine how different our faith life, and the world would be, if we focused on living and sharing the Christmas Spirit, the Fruit of the [Holy] Spirit, year-round?

Clearly, no one is upbeat all the time. But perhaps we can think about how we could incorporate the Fruit of the [Holy] Spirit of Jesus into our lives, if we haven’t already, thereby keeping the Christmas Spirit alive long after we put away the Christmas trees and the lights.

Living with the Christmas Spirit year round has some wonderful benefits. It enables optimism, hope, and positivity. Living a joyous, hope filled life promotes improved health & wellness--and it is one of the many benefits of living a Christian life. It significantly decreases the incidence of depression and anxiety. Year round Christmas Spirit also promotes joy, hope and inner peace, enhances our relationships, and boosts our sense of well-being.

Year Round Christmas Spirit is a Choice

There really is no reason Christmas Spirit needs to be contained to 5 weeks a year. Perhaps it’s time to understand what Christian believers know well. When the joy found in the Christmas Spirit becomes a year-round presence in our lives, a lifestyle choice, it is no longer a temporary state of being. It is then that we know that the Holy Spirit of Jesus is with us, as we experience the Fruit of the [Holy] Spirit. In that way, we are enabled to seek and find God every day, as we strive to follow His divine will for us, and grow in faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. For joy is key to both the Christmas Spirit, and the Fruit of the Spirit. For scripture tells us:

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10

So if you are interested in having the Christmas Spirit year-round, by experiencing the Fruit of the Spirit in your daily life, I suggest you let today be the day that you make that choice. Pray for the Holy Spirit of Jesus to come into your life this day, so you can experience the joy, love, and peace of the Fruit of the [Holy] Spirit that awaits you. Invite the Holy Spirit of Jesus into your life today, and do the same for your loved ones. Soon you will flourish, and as will they, as God sends the Holy Spirit and you experience the Christmas Spirit, the Fruit of the [Holy] Spirit, year round.

Copyright 2022   |   Adele M. Gill

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