“It looks horrible.”

My husband stared at the 6-foot faux tree he’d just assembled. Its branches were smashed from a year in storage. It shed green PVC plastic all over the floor. A mass of mismatched lights tangled together one side, leaving the opposite looking rather forlorn.

“It’ll look better when we decorate it,” I insisted as I ripped duct tape off another shoe box of eclectic ornaments. I wanted to keep things positive. After all, decorating for Christmas is supposed to be a joyful thing, right? We even had White Christmas crooning in the background.

But deep down, I felt a little like that mangled mess of a fake Christmas tree. A stomach virus had derailed my plans to decorate earlier in the week, so I was already behind schedule. On top of that, waves of panic over the presents that needed to be wrapped and those still to be bought were coming in increasingly shorter intervals.

More than once I secretly wondered if decorating was even worth it. After all, it makes a mess. It makes an even bigger mess when it all has to be taken down just a few weeks after it’s put up. And it’s tough to get in the spirit of things when thinking of everything you have to do makes you queasy — figuratively and literally.

Just Get Through

I’m starting to understand adults like Jovie, the cynical department store employee who catches Buddy’s eye in the Christmas comedy Elf. Laden with her own day-to-day worries, she’s not amused with the season’s added frenzy. “I’m just trying to get through the holidays,” she says to Buddy’s shock.

As you get older, the holiday season becomes something to get through. One giant list to check off. The more you can check off early on, the better. But chances are you’ll be scrambling right up to the last minute, battling Walmart parking lots and picking through baking aisle leftovers, despite your best intentions.

People have different ways of coping with this. Some, like all the women in my family, apparently, start shopping weeks before Thanksgiving so they’re not overwhelmed in December. Well, that ship has sailed for me. I still haven’t gotten past the feeling that the Christmas season sneaks up on me like a predator to its prey.

Others avoid the merry madness by keeping things simple. Simple gifts, simple decor, one or two favorite activities — and that’s it for the whole season. While there’s a definite appeal to this minimalist approach, I doubt I’ll have it mastered any time soon.

I really don’t know what other people do. Maybe they hire elves. Or fuel up on energy-infused homemade gingerbread. Or have a precisely honed skill for wiping out all their shopping in one fell swoop on Black Friday. Again, not me.

I Don’t Need Perfect

But here’s the thing. When I ignore my inner Grinch, I don’t want to just get through. I wasn’t organized enough to get all my ducks in a row before the season kicked off. So what? I was sick last week and didn’t get to decorate as early as I wanted to. So what? I know I’ll be busy the next few weeks as we buy, wrap, eat, travel and do it all again a hundred times over. So what? This is Christmas. This is when we, Christ’s own, celebrate his coming to earth to dwell among us.

He didn’t wait for us to get our ducks in a row then. He came in our chaos and brought peace. Not a worldly peace, because “in the world you will have tribulation.” But a peace in His very being. A peace that we now share, because we share new life with Him.

So whether it’s my weakened appetite, our hand-me-down tree or a hectic schedule, I don’t need things to be perfect in order to enjoy this season. I just need Him. Since Advent’s still young, I’m making this resolution: to keep my eyes on Jesus no matter what.

Last night, wrapping paper and empty storage boxes cluttered the floor as we checked “decorate” off our list and started the clean up process. Our tiny apartment — and the infinite flecks of glitter adorning its previously vacuumed floor — were now illuminated by the warm glow of mismatched, tangled lights.

Amid the mess, my husband paused. “Our tree is gorgeous.”

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33