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A Christmas enthusiast (or not), the season is about to start, and Instagram feeds are already filled with people setting up their Christmas tree.

You may not be that type of person, but I’m one of those annoying people who get giddy with excitement more than a month before Christmas Eve. You could tell by my decision to write an article about this particular holiday at the beginning of November.

But, obviously, Christmas is not about expensive gifts from those cliché, big stores, nor is it about large and gluttonous dinners that could feed 10 poor families.

For Christians, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and the beginning of the journey toward salvation. For non-Christians, it’s mostly a holiday to gather with family, exchange gifts, and generally feel happy.

If these things happen on Christmas Eve, what can we do to have a peaceful, mindful, and joyful season?

Over the years, I’ve found several ways to enjoy this season. They may not work for everybody, since I understand that not everyone goes through the same circumstances, but, hopefully, they can be of benefit to a decent amount of readers.

Here are nine ways that may help us have a merry, mindful, and peaceful Christmas this year:

>> finding a family in need and helping them throughout this season by donating food, clothes, money, medication, and so on (hopefully, the help would extend beyond only this period of time)

>> reconnecting with people you’ve missed and lost contact with (they may be friends who have traveled or family members you rarely talk to)

>> trying not to spend your money on gluttonous meals, and instead, enjoying a healthy diet and donating the excess food to charities

>> making a playlist of music that makes you happy (I personally love listening to Frank Sinatra’s Christmas album)

>> taking walks through decorated streets

>> planning fun activities with family (I like making Christmasy art with my nephews)

>> listing all the things we’re grateful for and the things we hope to achieve in the coming year (I believe it’s nice to be mindful of the little blessings we have in life, no matter how small they are; they can be good friends, food on the table, a home, talents we have…)

>> preparing delicious recipes ourselves (I’ve always adored the smell of baked cookies in the kitchen and thought it smells like motherly love)

>> focusing less on consumerism and more on  human compassion (we could start by deciding not to buy expensive gifts and focusing more on the true essence of Christmas)

We could even continue to do these things beyond Christmas season, but it is a good period to start!

Is there any particular thing you do during this holiday that may be of benefit to others?