Christian Parenting

Let's stop Christmas.

All I want for Christmas is the weather to be below like 70 degrees.

That's the heart of a Texan right there.

But I know if you're like me, finding the perfect gift for the people you love, it should feel joyful, right? But it often feels stressful. So between the busy schedules and crowded stores, it's easy to

lose the joy of giving. And that's why Christian Parenting created the 2025 Christmas gift guide,

a one-stop collection of thoughtful, faith-filled gifts for every age and stage. And inside this guide,

you'll find meaningful ideas for kids, parents,

grandparents, and your friends, all designed to point hearts back to the true reason for the season.

Plus, we've included some of our very favorite advent resources from family activities to

devotionals just for kids so you can keep Jesus at the center of Christmas. And best of all,

it's completely free. Check out the guide today

at Christianparenting.org slash Christmas and make this Christmas your most meaningful and

least stressful.

Hey friends, welcome back to Pardon the Mess. I'm your host, Courtney Defeo, and I would love to ask you a favor. I don't do this all the time, but it really, really does help. Would you guys go leave a review wherever you listen to your podcast? It helps other moms and parents find us. And then would you share an episode that you've enjoyed on your social media and just invite other parents to join us? That would be amazing.

Okay, two more things randomly. One, I'm really into my Greek yogurt in the morning. Actually,

is 12.13. And I just had my first bite of food, but I do a little Greek yogurt, some blueberries, and some almond slices. And those little almond slices are really just hitting right now. So I just needed you to know that. And then second of all, it needed you to know I started ordering Christmas stuff. And this is, I guess, my coping with Ella being gone and busy is I said, hey, when you come home for Thanksgiving, do you want it to be decorated for Christmas already? And she was like 100%. So that may send me on a total pursuit to get new garland. I mean, I already have Christmas decorations, but all of a sudden, boxes from Walmart are showing up with a new wreath and new garland from my stairs. And it was like, you know, September, early October, Ron's like, what is happening?

What is all this Christmas stuff? I'm like, don't worry about it. It's my current coping with the child being gone. But today, y'all, I say this a lot, but I really, really mean it. I would love for every single one of you in the part in the mess community to listen to this one and then share it with your husband and not in a way that's like, hey, you need to listen to that.

It's like, hey, this is a great. the mess community to listen to this one and then share it with your husband and not in a way that's

like, hey, you need to listen to that. It's like, hey, this is a great discussion for us and like a pause

and how are we mentally? How are we as a couple, as a family, as individuals? How are we spiritually?

Like, how are we feeling? Because before you know it, know it, and I can speak to this, like 10 years and 15 years

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