Praying Through the Hustle and Bustle of the Holidays

“Don’t forget to slow down and rest,” my doctor reminded me at a recent checkup. “Even good things can become a source of stress.”

She was speaking physiologically, but as we are in the midst of Advent and on the brink of Christmas, her wisdom seems applicable across the board. I delight in holiday treats, get-togethers with family and friends, and the special tasks that make this such a special time of year. Even so, the end of November through the first week in January can sometimes feel like running a marathon at a sprinter’s pace.

Just as an athlete needs more water during a marathon than when at rest, we can become spiritually parched if we allow the many demands on our time to eclipse what should be the center of the holiday season: preparing to welcome our Lord.

Of course, you can always embrace the many traditions of the season, such as hanging ornaments on a Jesse Tree (they have some amazing sets on Etsy!) or reflecting on the O Antiphons (they’re short!).

But if the idea of “adding on” more seems overwhelming, try one of these eleven tips to help you seek Jesus in the midst of your hectic holiday schedule:

Eleven Ways to Seek Jesus in the Midst of Holiday Busyness

1) Pray When You Wake

Your day has just begun, and the world hasn’t yet made its demands. This is the perfect time to offer your day to God. Place a copy of the Morning Offering prominently in your bedroom or make it your phone screen, and pray the words as your first act each morning. When you put God first, you’ll find it’s impossible to run out of time for Him.

2) Choose a Favorite Scripture Verse

Place a favorite Scripture verse somewhere you’ll see it every day—like in front of your toilet. Yes, you read that right. After all, you’ll be there to read the Lord’s Word at least a few minutes every day.

3) Take a Social Media Sabbatical

Delete the apps from your phone during the Advent season. When you feel that unconscious urge to scroll, remember your resolve to pray instead. Embrace this modern approach to Saint Paul’s exhortation to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

4) Try Habit-Tying

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear recommends a technique called habit-tying in which you pair the habit you want to develop with something you habitually do anyway. If you pair prayer with your chores or commute, you are more likely to make it happen. Audio prayer apps are especially effective for this one. Apps like Blessed is She, Hallow, and Amen, or even a simple Rosary app, can help your mind stay focused while your hands are occupied with other tasks—a way to ora et labora!

5) Singing = Praying Twice

Saint Augustine is attributed to having said, “He who sings well prays twice.” Try humming along with traditional Advent hymns as you complete holiday tasks, such as wrapping gifts and baking cookies.

6) Set a Schedule

Create a set schedule for prayer. Just as you’d schedule coffee with a friend, pencil in time for Mass, Confession, and Eucharistic Adoration. Keeping a regular date with Jesus is crucial for keeping the flame of faith alive.

7) Keep a Gratitude List

Regularly make note of what you’re grateful for. As Catholic philosopher Dr. Chris Kaczor notes in his free book How to Be Happy, gratitude is a key ingredient to a meaningful life.

8) Make Acts of Service a Prayer

As you fold laundry, make up beds for guests, or prepare tasty treats, think of who you are doing these things for, and pray over the recipients of your loving service. Let every act of service be a prayer.

9) Nourish Your Soul

Before you unwind with your favorite holiday flick, take twenty minutes to journal, read Scripture, or immerse yourself in a good book. Choose something that nourishes your soul, not just something that helps you zone out.

10) Reach for the Lord

The Lord assures us that His power is made perfect in our weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). When you stumble, reach out your hand to Him to lift you up. When someone tests your patience, try to see Jesus in them. When your patience fails, ask the Holy Spirit to manifest His fruits in you.

11) Examine Your Conscience

At the end of the day, wind down with the Ignatian Awareness Examen. Reflect on where you’ve encountered God and where you might have missed Him. It’s a practice that fosters gratitude and allows us to ask for the grace to improve.

'Tis the Season

We all experience seasons, like welcoming a newborn or grieving the death of a loved one, in which prayer is significantly more challenging. In these seasons, it can be helpful to sit with the Parable of the Poor Widow (see Luke 21:1-4), in which Jesus commends the widow’s gift of her last two coins over all the great gifts of the wealthy.

But during the busyness of the holiday season, let us keep in mind that prayer is simply lifting our hearts and minds to God. And if that is all we can do in our fatigued, dark, or broken moments, that is room enough for God to work. If nothing else, this keeps us focused on what we anticipate this holiday season: the coming of our Light Who shines in the darkness.

Samantha Stephenson is a Catholic homeschooling mother of four and the author of Mama Prays, Reclaiming Motherhood, and the upcoming book To Tempt a Mother: More Letters from Screwtape. She holds master’s degrees in theology and bioethics and homesteads with her family on 1/3 acre in Southern Idaho. You can find her at www.snstephenson.com.