- Deck the halls with boughs of holly
- Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
- ‘Tis the season to be jolly and so on…
Are you jolly this time of year? With the exception of my son and his family, whose last name is Jolly, maybe not. It is without a doubt a stressful time of year, more so for some. There is the pressure to buy gifts for everyone on your list, wrap them, decorate your house, buy a tree or bring the fake one down from the attic (if your holiday calls for a tree). You are spending more money than you normally do but still have the same income. How do you make that work without going into debt?
It seems that every year since I was a child, Christmas and the holiday season in general has become more about spending and less about why we celebrate. Not breaking news. We complain about the commercialism but have no control over it or its impact on our lives. Try as we may to avoid the pressure, it finds our hiding places and we are inevitably caught up in the whirlwind of the season.
A couple of months ago I was looking at my budget and thinking, maybe I should suggest to my family that we not buy presents this year. Let’s focus on how blessed we are, not about buying. Well, I never said anything to anyone, probably too embarrassed to make the suggestion. I managed to come up with some money and now I am planning my gifts accordingly. So much for shedding commercialism.
We all know that Christmas is not about how much you spend. It’s about remembering what happened two thousand years ago in Bethlehem. If you are not one who thinks about that, then think about this. You are still here. You have family, friends and a roof over your head. You have some money in the bank and you have your health, maybe not perfect health, but you woke up this morning. These things that we all take for granted on a daily basis, are truly gifts and we should acknowledge them as such and be grateful. They will not last forever. Some day we will be gone.
This holiday season try finding joy in little things. See the world as you did as a small child, if only for a few minutes at a time. Be aware. Be amazed. Be joyful outside of the mall. Be grateful. Deck the halls and then deck your heart. ‘Tis the season. Share yourself. Focus on what matters to you. In other words, give love. Everything else takes second place.
It is with this sentimentality that I leave you to ponder the season. Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la. :))