Editor’s Note: I like to share variations of this post this time of the year. I hope you are encouraged by some of the thoughts.

What makes the Christmas spirit so appealing?
Can we duplicate it eleven other months? 

Christmas. What a special day each year. Often the specialness of Christmas is called the Christmas spirit. It is in the air. The decorations, seasonal music, traditions, special events, parties, programs, and church services help make it a special season. Memories are made and relived through stories, pictures, tree decorations, and special recipes. In one sense, the Christmas spirit flows out of a deep personal expression, while also shared corporately with everyone else at the same time of the year.

Let me suggest three particular examples of the essence of the Christmas spirit.

First, entire networks profit from seizing the Christmas spirit, as they would perceive it, by showing movie after movie capturing tidbits of the Christmas spirit. For the months of November and December, the entire programming changes on at least four different networks with wall to wall Christmas. Why? Because people love to watch and experience by proxy the Christmas spirit.

Second, people act nicer. Have you noticed it? They often greet each other with “Merry Christmas,” especially as the day gets closer. Folks tend to be talk more in stores, smile more at others, and respond to the festive music they hear playing in stores. And not just in person, look online how people wish each other a “Merry Christmas” or some other expression of greetings – not just one or two but hundreds of times. The spirit they know from their own traditions and what they experience through the cultural expression of Christmas rubs off on each other. This leads to my third example.

Third, people give and share with each other. On one particular community online group of which I am a part, person after person have shared their needs to the group. Without exception, other individuals one after another have offered to help. From clothes to food, from toys to tools, from new to used, from simple to complex, needs have been met by other members of the community. I have been both fascinated and proud of our community as I have watched this take place over the past month. Strangers willingly helping strangers. This is just in one, private online community group of around 20,000 individuals.

There are plenty more examples. Over the past several weeks, I have read multiple times where meals were purchased anonymously, flowers were sent, and food was given. Over and over and over.

What is this? How do we capture it? Although every day can’t be Christmas for obvious reasons, there is something special about this season that is worth capturing every other day of the year. For fellow followers of Jesus Christ, arguably, this season should not be that much different than the rest of the year. Let me explain.

How Can You Duplicate the Christmas Spirit Throughout the Year?

1. Focus on Christ.
   Possibly more than any other day of the year besides Easter, Christmas is a day where we pause to celebrate Jesus. It may be through reading the Bible, singing a song, saying a special prayer, reflecting on His willingness to come or His self-sacrificial life, among so many other ways, we focus on Christ. It is a specific time where we draw our attention to our dear Savior – and it seems so natural. This is the foundational step to help create the Christmas spirit in our hearts. Ultimately, the foundation of the Christmas spirit is the spirit of our Savior. The more like Jesus we are and the more we focus on Jesus, the more Christmas spirit we have – because CHRIST is the foundation of CHRISTmas.
2. Take Time for Family and Friends.
   Think how much effort goes into the celebrations of Christmas. We change our schedules. We travel. We postpone work. We go out of our way in almost innumerable ways to fit in time for family and friends. This effort proves rewarding not just for us but the people around us as well. Although it would be impossible to live every day with as much emphasis on family and friends, it would serve all of us well to try to focus a little more each day on family and friends. We could seek to be creative on how to fit extra time and effort into your daily routine for family and friends – little things like a text, a phone call, an email, a note, a few extra steps down a hallway or into another office.
3. Be Friendly to Your Neighbors.
   I love this part of Christmas. This is one of the most fascinating observations I make each Christmas. As I mentioned above, as Christmas day gets closer, your neighbor becomes your friend. Complete strangers often wish each other a “Merry Christmas.” Conversations start in elevators, on sidewalks, at checkout, everywhere. It is more than just a smile. There’s a general kindness that permeates the air. Our world would be a better place if we would take some of that attitude and sprinkle it into the rest of our days.
4. Consider the Less Fortunate.
   More than any other time of the year, it seems as if people are more sensitive to the less fortunate at Christmas. There are great reminders all around us like the Salvation Army kettle, a special angel tree, a donation box at work, or a special offering at church. Regardless of how we get there as a society, we rejoice together in all the good work and good will that gets expressed and shared at Christmas. Throughout the rest of our year, we would be wise to be more intentional about considering those who may need a helping hand. Again, be creative – give a little extra in your offering at church, pay it forward in a line at your favorite local coffee shop or McDonald’s, volunteer, or make a donation to a shelter.
5. Be Positive.
   Instead of seeing and saying the worse, see and say the best. Possibly it’s the lights, the decorations, the chocolate, the pies, the gifts … I’m not sure what it is that tends to make people more positive at Christmas time. But I am positive I like it! Sure there are things that might make you negative, but choose to be positive anyway. Before you say something negative or roll your eyes or make a sigh or make a sarcastic remark, ask yourself, “Will this be perceived in a positive way or a negative way? Will this help build my neighbor up or tear him or her down?” Then choose to be an encourager!
6. Focus on Giving instead of Receiving.
   At Christmas we put so much time and energy into giving. We bake goodies. We buy gifts. We create homemade crafts. We do and do and do. Why? So we can give it away. What a joy to see someone else receive a gracious gift we bring! In order though to have gracious receivers, you must be a gracious giver. So spend just a little energy each day and look around you to notice ways that you can give. It could be as simple as a smile, but most of us have so much more we can share.

I hope you will consider these suggestions and come up with your own as we together strive to capture the Christmas spirit throughout the year. If you have a few good ideas, share them with the rest of us. Together we can all make every day a bit more special for those around us.