This month we will continue the theme of Simple Living, with a focus on how our response to the question "whose birthday is it anyway?" might be reflected in our lifestyle choices, particularly around Christmas. Our decisions to buy more stuff during this season when many are suffering from a lack of the basic necessities make that question a compelling one for disciples of Christ.

Do We Really Need More Stuff at Christmas?

by Joy Blaylock

In the last two years, I have cleaned out two houses. One for my Oma who lived to the ripe age of ninety-nine and recently my own home in Pensacola.

As I write this on the day some call Black Friday, I am thankful for a quiet day of no shopping and no chasing after more stuff. I know, that sounds a bit judgmental or even insulting to people out there needing legitimate deals and markdowns to get along with ordinary living. I’m not talking about that.

I learned the hard way in my own life that if we had “space”, whether a closet, attic, or cedar chest, we would fill it. Each time we have moved, we promised ourselves not to accumulate more but we did anyway. Each Christmas we promised to give gifts through a charitable organization, but fell sway to the normal gift baskets, pajamas, body gel/cream sets, etc.

When I cleaned out my Oma’s closest, there sat tucked away and unopened just about every Christmas gift I had ever given her. Each year I wracked my brain as to what someone in their nineties might need. And, either Oma was saving it “for a special occasion” or I completely missed the mark and she was too gracious to say otherwise.

I think of these memories after emptying my home in Pensacola for sale last week. Once again, I faced gobs of stuff we had not used in over a year, if not a decade. I was surprised to learn that there are companies that you can pay to empty out your home and direct goods to charitable organizations. Surprise: our kids don't want three sets of china or our collections of everything from stamps to beer steins.

I pray it will be the last home I empty as we are now living our dream of living in a tiny house in the woods in beautiful Mentone, Alabama. It is a privilege and dream come true. Yet, we have some definite rules, boundaries, and limitations which involve the obvious: keep only what you need and use on a weekly basis. It has been humbling and liberating to let go and simplify. And I rest easier knowing that when my husband and I are gone, our son will not have to grieve and sort through an entire home of our unused or stored stuff.

My Advent plea and prayer for us all is to realize we don't have to keep up with our neighbors in terms of decorating or getting the latest gadgets. I realize now that what Oma enjoyed most was presence, not presents. She and I spent years reminiscing weekly and sharing quiet holidays. That's the beloved memory, not the fuzzy unworn house slippers.

I try to honor the scripture verse in Luke 12:48--“to whom much is given, much is expected”. What many of us acknowledged on Thanksgiving yesterday is that we have been given much. How can we translate that “expectation” into gifts that honor our Earth and its stewardship during this Advent season? What might we do differently this year so that we are not consuming or spending on things that are not necessary? Can we be agents of change and inspiration in our family systems?

I am sharing below some suggestions for Christmas giving that I find helpful, from Audrey Stanton.

The Rev. Dr. Joy Blaylock is Canon Missioner for Discipleship and Dean of the School for Ministry of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. She lives in Mentone, Alabama with her husband Roy and several multiple-legged friends.

Consider the following suggestions to simplify Christmas gift giving, from "How to Opt Out of Gift Giving: 6 Alternative to Buying Products This Holiday Season," by Audrey Stanton:

Spend quality time

There’s a reason that quality time is one of the top love languages for most individuals. At the end of the day, we really do just want to be together, and if the pandemic has taught us anything, we need that time. Sign your loved one and yourself up for a sip and paint night, take a cooking class together or grab tickets to a museum nearby. Don’t want to spend money? No problem. Consider hosting a movie or game night at home. Whether it’s curling up on the couch with popcorn or a rowdy game of trivia, there’s so much love that can be shared by simply spending time together.

Donate to a cause

Nowadays there’s a lot we have to fight for and there are so many different organizations worth supporting in those fights. Donating to a non-profit which upholds your loved ones’ values can be just as thoughtful as a physical gift. Have someone who’s passionate about fashion, fair wages, and the environment? Perhaps make a donation to Remake in your loved one’s name! Whatever the cause, make sure to do your research to ensure that your gift will have quality impact.

Make something

DIY is not dead! We’ve come a long way since the no-sew shirts of the late 2000s, and there are so many ways to create something handmade. You can try your hand at soap and candle making, mix together a body scrub, make a drink kit, or bake some delicious treats and homemade chocolates for your friends and family. Are words of affirmation more your loved one’s thing? Design a handmade card filled with thoughtful words.

Volunteer together

Volunteering your time can make a difference all year round but there are endless opportunities around the holidays. Go with your loved ones to volunteer at a food bank, animal shelter, soup kitchen, community center or garden (if you live somewhere warmer). Local charities and non-profits often need extra volunteers on a regular basis. Focus on smaller organizations if you can, as they are often the most in need of the extra help around the holidays.

Get Outdoors together

Sometimes all it takes to celebrate the season is to join with others in festive activities. Grab your loved ones and take an evening walk to see Christmas lights in your area, stop by a local holiday market, take a winter hike or find a rink to skate on together. It can even be as easy as enjoying the quiet of winter with a family stroll around your neighborhood. Little moments such as these can help us gain perspective and gratitude for all we have. I know that can be corny, but it’s the holiday season — sue me!

Lend a hand

Another great love language to substitute for gift giving is acts of service. Do your loved ones have clothes that need mending? Spaces that need cleaning? Books they need organizing? Chores they need doing? This year all I asked of my boyfriend was to repot the snake plant in my bedroom, a task I’ve been somehow avoiding for over six months. Taking the load off for someone is as good as that shiny new item everyone’s been talking about.

This time of year may never be completely stress-free but a significant amount of that weight can be lifted when we let go of the holidays’ association to consumerism. We don’t have to buy in order to show our love for each other. Instead, make this holiday season the start of a giving revolution where thoughtfulness reigns supreme — not products.

The Advent wreath, a visual symbol marking the Advent season’s progress, originated as a domestic devotion opportunity for household prayer and is now often included in community worship spaces. While there are many different ways to make an Advent wreath, Jerusalem Greer from Good News Gardens created this video making a wreath using items found in creation. Watch this video and build your own wreath. You can find more information here and an Advent wreath blessing appropriate for your congregation here.

Find the full list Advent ideas from The Episcopal Church here.

Enjoy this printable calendar of ideas for living more simply this Advent.

Sustainable holiday ideas from One Home, One Future.

An Advent Pilgrimage from the Laudato Si' Movement.

A daily ecological Advent prayer resource from the Catholic Climate Covenant.

Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Dothan is excited to launch a capital campaign to fund the installation of a magnificent new stained glass window in the bell tower, which will complete their final window in a project that was started in 1958. This breathtaking final addition will transform the large, clear window in the bell tower into a spectacular representation of "The Creation." It will depict the divine act of forming the heavens, earth, light, and life. These windows serve as visual sermons, inspiring worshippers and visitors alike with their timeless beauty and spiritual depth.

This project will be crafted by the Pittsburgh Stained Glass Studios, who created and installed all of the beautiful stained glass windows at Nativity. Please consider making a donation as a memorial, in thanksgiving, or just to be a part of this project. Mark your contribution "window" and send it to the church office or click on the Nativity online giving page and select “Stained Glass Window” from the pull-down menu.

Let's help Nativity illuminate their church with this beautiful symbol of God's creative power. Contact Kathie Buntin for more information.

Trinity, Apalachicola: Tagging Monarch Butterflies

Quality creation care happening in Apalachicola, y'all! Members of Trinity participated in tagging Monarch butterflies. Pictured below are Trinity rector Fr. Stephen Pecot and member Susan Farmer. Tagging monarchs is a citizen science activity that is accessible to all who are interested. Visit MonarchWatch.org for more information. And check out the really great activities for kids on the companion site Monarch Watch Kids Zone.

St. Christopher's, Pensacola

St. Christopher's, Pensacola has had a busy month in Creation Care with a pop-up Holy Stroll at Arcadia Mill in Milton and a "Bluebird Bundle" gift basket donated for the silent auction for the annual Christmas Caravan arts and crafts festival in Pensacola on December 5th. The QR code on the bulletin board links to their resource list.

Redeemer, Mobile

Redeemer's Environmental Stewardship Team (REST) gave out the book All Creation Waits to families with children ages 3-7 to enjoy during Advent.

Province IV and V Monthly Gathering

Monday, December 8 at 12:00 pm CT

Creation Waits with Advent Hope

A Conversation about Advent Proclamation

with Derrick Weston, Creation Justice Ministries

Derrick Weston, Theological Education & Training Coordinator with Creation Justice Ministries, will lead us in a conversation about how we might more fully proclaim the role and place of all creation in the Season of Advent. The session will explore diverse perspectives on our collective message to both ourselves and the wider church community. Key topics will include the central themes within Creation's message, the nature of our witness, and a reflection on what we observe and communicate through our actions.

Mr. Weston’s toolkit for public speaking encompasses a range of subjects, including Theology of Creation, Food Justice, and the theological implications of environmental racism.

Derrick Weston is a writer, filmmaker, podcaster, speaker, and educator whose most recent work has focused on the intersection of food and faith. He is the co-host of the Food and Faith podcast and producer of Spoon, Spade, and Soul, a podcast highlighting food and land-based ministries in the Episcopal church. Additionally, he is the producer of the short film series "A Wilderness Like Eden" highlighting the work of churches engaged in food justice work. After two decades of being a pastor and community organizer, Derrick is a strong believer in the potential of local congregations to enact change in their communities.

Come and engage with us as we explore the root causes of our continued march toward ecosystem collapse and its connections to our faith. In these five sessions, we will examine the human conditions of alienation and the ineffective responses of our faith practice. We will consider the spiritual import of issues such as capitalism, individualism, and materialism, and explore how a deeper green mission and ministry can help us respond to these challenges in more effective and life-giving ways.

The course will include five sessions on Zoom, Tuesday evenings, January 13 – February 10, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. The session titles are:

• The World We Have: Anthropocentrism, Individualism, and Materialism
• The Faith We Have: Cultural Captive or God’s Dream?
• The Gospel We Need: Good News for All Creation
• The Church We Need: Demonstration Plots of the Kingdom of God
• The Ways We Can: A Deeper Green People of God

The course will be co-led by Dr. Robin Gottfried, Emeritus Professor of Economics at Sewanee: The University of the South, and the Rev. Dr. Jerry Cappel, Episcopal Priest and President of the Center for Deep Green Faith.

Tuition is $95 for all five sessions.

Creation Spirituality and the Celebrating & Healing

of Mother Earth & Ourselves

The Episcopal Diocese of Wisconsin and the Matthew Fox Legacy Project are sponsoring a free, 4-session, online lecture series with Matthew Fox. Presentations are held Wednesdays: January 14, 21, 28, February 4, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. CT. Registrants will receive a Zoom link prior to the session and a recording link following.

Topics include:

• Creation as an Original Blessing and the Springboard of Awe and Wonder
• Sacred Mother Earth: The Holiness of Creation and Recovering the Cosmic Christ
• The Cosmic Mass, and the Stations of the Cosmic Christ: Reinvigorating Liturgy and Rituals
• Jesus as a Teacher of Democracy and the Renewal of Education and Values through the “10 C’s”

Matthew Fox is a spiritual theologian, an Episcopal priest and an activist for gender justice and eco-justice.  He has written 44 books, including Original Blessing, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, A Spirituality Named Compassion, The Reinvention of Work, The Hidden Spirituality of Men, Christian Mystics and The Pope’s War. He has contributed much to the rediscovery of Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart and Thomas Aquinas as pre-modern mystics and prophets. Fox holds a doctorate in the history and theology of spirituality from the Institut Catholique de Paris. The founder of the University of Creation Spirituality in California, he conducts dozens of workshops each year and is a visiting scholar at the Academy for the Love of Learning.

Free monthly gatherings on Zoom featuring mentors and leaders on Creation Care and the intersections of evangelism, discipleship, and justice. 2nd Thursday of each month, beginning in February 2026, 6:30-8 pm CT.

"Simple Living: Knowing what is important and having no more than that," from Beliefnet

"What we all set out to be," a short excerpt from "Radical Spirit: 12 Ways to Live a Free and Authentic Life," by Joan Chittister

"Living Advent in the Spirit of Laudato Si'," from the Laudato Si' Movement

Plans to expand offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico have been in the news, along with reasons for opposing this plan from the perspective of advocating for creation. Learn more from the folks at Healthy Gulf, along with a link to submit comments.

"Simplicity is the only thing that sufficiently reorients our lives so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying us."

Richard J. Foster