Christmas Vacation?

Since when is Christmas a Vacation? Yeah, I know, most everyone takes time off for Christmas, even if just December 25th. Of course this “vacation” often times seems more like harder work than typical work itself! Just watch the Christmas classic “Christmas Vacation” with Chevy Chase. Some vacation that turned out to be!

An extreme case, I know, but we all probably feel a little piece of that every year around this time. Extra shopping when everyone else does their extra shopping, busier streets, darker earlier yet more people driving around later than normal…it can seem a mad house!

I think of my youngest brother who just recently got married. Now, (as many of us do) he has an additional set of family that will expect his (and his wife’s) time each year. And that set of family is hundreds of miles away. Of course, he would also be a professional musician and as I was hoping to get to spend some time at Christmas with him (wondering if his loyalty would be up North this year for his wife), I find out he may be in China, playing a week-long gig there.

Christmas, a vacation? Maybe not!

But I love this time of year. I’ve grown to love the colder weather and I’ve grown to love the excitement this time of year brings. I love business. I love watching it happen. I love seeing people shopping and business owners and managers unable to keep up with the purchasing demands.

I’ve grown to love it all…the music and lights. I wonder if that’s because I’ve grown to love the One for whom I celebrate Christmas? Maybe I should say I’ve grown more in love with Him because every year I realize more and more how important Christ is to me…and to Christmas. Without this day (no, not literally December 25th) there’s not a lot of reason to live, there’s no reason for my love of life because that will come to an end sooner than I’m ready for it to. But it’s my hope and excitement of a life that goes beyond what I know now that has me excited. It you can’t celebrate that, there’s nothing else in life worth celebrating, because no one…..no one has given to you what He has and no one deserves celebrating more than Jesus.

So, what are you doing this Christmas? Hopefully, if you’re in business, you already have your strategy in hand and are bringing folks in to celebrate with you! There’s no getting around that even in our economic concerns Christmas is the big spender of the year. Are you attracting new business? Have you thought very thoroughly how to retain a good portion of that business as recurring patrons throughout the year?

As busy as Christmas is, don’t forget it’s the relationship that bring them back. Be thankful for Christmas that it brings them in…and make good use of that! Be the owner or manager. Make sure your customers feel good about you and your integrity. Make them want to come back. Not because you run killer specials but because you are a great person to do business with!

If they like you and they trust you…the might do business with you! Never forget it. =)

Seth