O most merciful God, the time is quickly passing before we celebrate the feast of Your Nativity and Your Manifestation as the God-man Jesus. Help me not to allow the preparations for Christmas to distract me from preparing myself spiritually to celebrate these feasts. Help me from getting caught-up in the traditional, hectic pace suggested by   society for the celebration of Christmas. I know that if I allow myself to become fully focused on sending cards, buying presents, decorating the house and preparing food, I will forget to prepare myself spiritually for these feasts – I will forget the true meaning of these feasts. I ask Your help and offer praise to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.