The holiday season arrives each year wrapped in expectations—traditions to uphold, gatherings to plan, meals to prepare, and memories to recreate. Yet life rarely stays the same from one year to the next. Children grow; loved ones move, and circumstances shift in ways we don’t always expect. Through these changes, I’ve learned that flexibility is not only helpful for enjoying the holidays—it’s a spiritual posture that keeps our hearts centered on Christ.
Flexibility helps us hold onto what matters most: our faith in Jesus, our connection with others, and the gratitude that flows from knowing God’s goodness. When we loosen our grip on how everything must go, we free our hands to receive what God is doing right now. As a recovering “control freak,” I didn’t learn this easily. But after hearing many of my Bridges guests share how flexibility helped them find joy in the holidays, I began to see that letting go can draw us closer to Christ.
The true heart of Christmas remains unchanged
When we approach Christmas with rigidity, we may unintentionally create stress or disappointment. Trying to recreate past celebrations can leave us disheartened when things shift. But when we release the pressure of perfection, our hearts are more open to the presence of Jesus—the One who brings peace that isn’t dependent on circumstances. Maybe this year’s dinner is store-bought, or the kids split time between two households. Perhaps you’re celebrating early to accommodate travel. These changes may feel unfamiliar, but they don’t rob the season of its meaning. The true heart of Christmas remains unchanged: Christ has come.
Flexibility also becomes a way of loving others as Christ loved us. It recognizes that everyone around us carries their own responsibilities, challenges, and hopes. When we adjust a tradition, change a plan, or try something new, we communicate grace. We say, in essence, “You matter more than my expectations.” That kind of love reflects Jesus—gentle, understanding, others-centered—and those gestures often become the memories that linger the longest. And if we think about it, many of our most cherished holiday memories didn’t unfold perfectly. They were shaped in the moments when life forced us to improvise: the year dinner burned, and everyone spread a picnic blanket on the living-room floor, the night the power went out, and the family played games by candlelight, or the Christmas when illness or distance left everyone connecting through video calls—and laughing more than expected. Those imperfect moments often become sacred ones, reminding us that God’s joy isn’t fragile.
He Invites Us to Welcome New Expressions of Grace
Most importantly, flexibility helps us honor how God shapes the meaning of the holidays throughout our lives. What once felt magical in childhood may, in adulthood, become a season of gratitude for time with aging parents, or a season of wonder as we see Christmas through our children’s eyes. As our lives change, Christ remains the same—and He invites us to welcome new expressions of His grace.
Ultimately, the holidays are about celebrating the birth of Jesus—the Savior who stepped into our world with humility, hope, and redeeming love. Everything else is secondary. When we choose flexibility, we make room for Christ to lead our hearts, our homes, and our celebrations. And in doing so, we keep the true meaning of Christmas alive.
Today’s Secret from the Studio: “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall NOT break—especially when their hope is anchored in Christ.”
Monica Schmelter is the host of Bridges. You can watch Bridges on Christian Television Network, ROKU, and on demand at bridgeswithmonica.com. When Monica isn’t in the studio – she enjoys spending time with family.
