Getting Past the Pinterest Perfect Christmas

By: Anna Collins

My heart raced, my breathing was quick, and anxiety crept over me as I scrolled through my Pinterest feed. I was attempting to inspire my own holiday decorations, but instead I felt defeated and overwhelmed.

These moms have it all together.

Their kids are going to get the perfect Christmas, the perfect tree, perfectly wrapped presents, and perfectly baked cookies.

Mine will get the same old family ornaments and presents wrapped in wrapping paper leftover from last year, if they get wrapped at all.

I love Pinterest. You can learn how to dress, how to cook, how to decorate, and find ways to entertain your kids all on the same site! But if you are anything like me, you know the feeling of trying to compete with the picture-perfect life that is presented on your computer screen. Theodore Roosevelt nailed it when he said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Crafting isn’t bad—but God wants so much more for our families than what we see as we scroll through our news feeds.

3 Ways To Get Past the Pinterest Perfect Christmas

1. Let go of the need to be perfect.

   Why do we strive so hard to make our lives seem perfect to others? The people we truly admire are the ones who are authentic and real. What if this year we decide to stop striving to be perfect and focus on the one who is perfect: Jesus.

   In Galatians 5:1, we are reminded that knowing Jesus gives us the ability to let go of the burden we place on ourselves to be perfect and rest in the freedom that He provides.

2. Remember that comparison leads to catastrophe.

   Like many women, I compare myself to others constantly. God does not want this for us!

   You will never win the comparison war. There will always be someone who can cook better than you, is prettier than you, has better decorations than you, the list goes on and on. In 2 Corinthians 10:12, Paul point-blank tells us it is unwise to compare ourselves to others. God sees us as perfect!

3. Rest is better than rushing.

   In Luke 10, Jesus and His followers came to the home of two sisters. When they arrived, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened while Martha was “distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.”

   Sound familiar? Martha is busy setting the table, cooking the meal, making sure everything was just perfect. Martha becomes frustrated, but Jesus points to Mary as an example to be followed. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).

   Do you ever feel like Martha? Running around, doing the work, trying to make everything perfect. Jesus tells us that only one thing is needed.

   This Christmas, let’s be like Mary and focus on Jesus. He is the hope that will last well past Christmas morning, and the hope we have in Jesus is worth so much more than picture-perfect place settings.