Take time to remember the religious reasons:

Christmas is a Christian holiday to commemorate the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. While it is not actually believed he was born on December 25th, it is the day set aside to celebrate that birth. Over the years, as Western culture became more prominent, the holiday was fraught with commercialization. Now, Christmas is celebrated worldwide by many Christians, but also by many non-Christians. The focus of the holiday has drifted from the religious aspects and the gift of the birth of a Savior for mankind to the folklore and merchandising possibilities of Santa, gift giving, and all of the hype that goes with it. In order to help yourself get into the spirit of Christmas it is a good idea to do something to help yourself remember the religious side of Christmas. Some simple ways to take time to remember the religious reasons for Christmas include purchasing a nativity scene to add to your decorations; attending a reenactment or pageant about the birth of Christ; attending a mass held for Christmas; reading the accounts of the Savior's birth out of the scriptures; playing religious Christmas music in your home and car in addition to the fun jingles and tunes that focus on Santa. There are many other ways to help you remember the religious aspect of Christmas, but taking a little bit of time to readjust your focus can make a big difference in how much you feel the spirit of Christmas.

Forget the selfish side by serving others:

One of the best ways to get into the spirit of Christmas is to not just remind yourself what the spirit of Christmas is, but actively involve yourself in it. There are many ways you can get past the selfish, commercialized side of Christmas by focusing on other's needs and wants rather than your own. The following are a few easy ways to move past the selfish aspect of wondering what people will give you, or what parties you will be invited to, and instead serve others and be grateful for what you have: consider having your family take a trip to a local food bank, soup kitchen, or homeless shelter and volunteer some of your time and talents. Often times seeing people who cannot even provide their own meals can put the gift receiving and giving side of Christmas into perspective and make it less of the focus, especially for children. If this frightens you, or you are not sure how to do this consider other options. A fun, safe option that is always appreciated and welcome is visits to nursing and old folk's homes. You can call the director of a nursing home and they will tell you when the best time to come visit is. You can perform a Christmas song, sit and talk to the tenants, or even just go and help to serve a meal. The elderly people always enjoy the company and visits, and appreciate your time and efforts. Other things you can do include sponsoring a less fortunate family for Christmas, either by providing a meal, or their Christmas gifts. You can donate to programs like Sub-for-Santa, or you may even want to get your children involved by having them choose some of their Christmas gifts to give to less fortunate. This may be hard for them at first, but they will feel proud of themselves later, and it will help them understand the real meaning of the holiday.

Think what role you can play in "peace on earth, and goodwill toward men":

Many people understand the scriptural reference to the spirit of Christmas and the idea that it is supposed to be a time when generosity abounds and we share love and kindness with family, neighbors, and strangers alike, but they really do not have a grasp of what they can do personally to promote peace on earth and goodwill toward men. The following are some fun ideas to help you get in the spirit of Christmas: Make efforts at home to have less contention in your home. One fun way to do this is to have a passable service instrument. For example, use a decoration like a star or a Santa hat, then do random, anonymous acts of kindness in your home and for your family. For example, make your sister's bed, or change the laundry over without being asked. When you do something for someone you leave the service instrument in their room, and then they do an act of kindness and pass it on. This is an especially good idea if you have small children as it helps them recognize their role and ability in promoting love and peace, as well as kindness and service not only to others, but within the family. Some people use the same idea, and instead have a manger and straws. Anytime someone does something thoughtful or kind to them they place a straw in the manger in the hopes that by Christmas Eve it will have enough straw to be a comfortable bed for the baby Jesus. These ideas do not have to remain in the home, promote this idea in your neighborhood, office, etc. You can also just keep your eyes open for small acts of service and kindness you can show others. For example, hold open a door for someone with lots of shopping bags at the mall, shovel your neighbor's walk when you are out shoveling your own, let someone with small children take your closer parking spot, and you walk extra, etc. If everyone was a little kinder and a little more thoughtful the idea of "peace on earth and goodwill toward men" would not seem as far fetched.

Play holiday music:

If you want to get into the spirit of Christmas, set the mood in your home, or wherever you are. Make an effort to have a good, happy feeling in your home. Play peaceful seasonal music, but do not start too early. Have a good mix of religious and festive tunes.

Decorate your home:

If you want to get into the spirit of Christmas you should decorate your home. Nothing helps set the tone more than a change in your surroundings. Until you have garland, twinkle lights, a Christmas tree, and other decorations it just won't feel like Christmas.

Do not over-schedule:

If you want to get into the spirit of Christmas you need to do your best to focus on Christmas and not let yourself get too stressed out. The best way to do this is simply keep things simple. If you have a different Christmas party to be at every night, or a crowded holiday schedule, instead of enjoying spending time as a family and as friends you will be worried about having things done, and getting to the next thing quickly enough. Try to limit yourself to one activity a week, and be sure to have some nights that are just for your family to have fun together.

Simplify your gift list:

One of the biggest reasons people lose the spirit of Christmas is they forget the reasons for Christmas in their stress of finding all the right gifts, fighting the crowds at the malls, and finding enough money to finance the expensive time of year. The best way to make this better is to simplify your gift list. This means cut out the people that you really do not need to do something for. You do not have to give gifts to everyone in your office, or everyone in your neighborhood, reserve gift giving for your closest friends and family. If you have a lot of people to buy for, or a limited budget, leave the adults out, they will understand. You can always give gifts of service, or home made gifts. Do not go overboard, and do not make it a necessity to get the latest and greatest gadgets, often they are hard to find at Christmas, as everyone wants them, or they are really expensive, so a better idea is to get simple gifts. If money is the issue, start saving early.

These are just a few ways to get into the spirit of Christmas. Just remember, it is not about what you give or what you receive, it is about showing love, generosity, and gratitude, as well as remembering the birth of Christ.