Can you feel it? Whether you have children or not, there is something in the air these days... Is it already the season? You know, THE season?
Suppose t'is, t'isn't it?
It starts with the halloween candy showing up a month early on the grocery store shelves, and it ends when the ball drops on New Years Eve.
From Now until then we are bombarded with sales gimmicks, visions of happy families in tacky sweaters awkwardly commiserating, and grandest of all: the promise of happiness- whether it be in edible or diamond form.
Suppose t'is, t'isn't it?
It starts with the halloween candy showing up a month early on the grocery store shelves, and it ends when the ball drops on New Years Eve.
From Now until then we are bombarded with sales gimmicks, visions of happy families in tacky sweaters awkwardly commiserating, and grandest of all: the promise of happiness- whether it be in edible or diamond form.
Now, don't get me wrong, I like the holiday season. The smells are fantastic. The music (yes the music) is catchy and fun. And the general theme, regardless of religious background, is one of good will and celebration.
My question to you is not only how do you celebrate, but why do you celebrate? That is if you celebrate at all...
We do. We celebrate. And we try our best not to get caught up in all of the dramatization and spending horrors that go along with said season, but every year we seem to some how over do it in the gift and food department.
Each year it gets a little better, but it is still a glutonous experience for the most part.
My question to you is not only how do you celebrate, but why do you celebrate? That is if you celebrate at all...
We do. We celebrate. And we try our best not to get caught up in all of the dramatization and spending horrors that go along with said season, but every year we seem to some how over do it in the gift and food department.
Each year it gets a little better, but it is still a glutonous experience for the most part.
Everything in moderation right? Well here is the conundrum. What is moderation when it comes to the expecations of our families, the balance in our bank accounts, and the emotional effort it takes to make it through without feeling a little depressed and defeated?
Here are my thoughts: Why not take back the season and make it about individual rituals, rather than holding onto the visions of big red. Not that we need to take out the fun stuff, but isn't it time we let go of the expectation?
Rather than dragging the kids, wife or boyfriend to the mall why not drag them off for a hike, or to a soup kitchen to volunteer or to the couch for a good old fashioned snuggle.
Most of my holiday memories don't consist of what I got, and for a lot of people it is the same. We remember silly things like our funny Uncle who always broke the wall of tenseness even before the rum and egg nog did. We remember the times where we thought less about our selves and more about our community.
Here are my thoughts: Why not take back the season and make it about individual rituals, rather than holding onto the visions of big red. Not that we need to take out the fun stuff, but isn't it time we let go of the expectation?
Rather than dragging the kids, wife or boyfriend to the mall why not drag them off for a hike, or to a soup kitchen to volunteer or to the couch for a good old fashioned snuggle.
Most of my holiday memories don't consist of what I got, and for a lot of people it is the same. We remember silly things like our funny Uncle who always broke the wall of tenseness even before the rum and egg nog did. We remember the times where we thought less about our selves and more about our community.
One of my fondest memories was making bag lunches with my step-father and walking around the streets of Victoria handing out healthy meals to some of the cities homeless. Funny, my hubby Stephen has a similar story, only he handed out beer- which might seem a little silly to some, but in all honesty his gesture was one of pure acceptance. He wasn't trying to lecture or convert anyone- he just wanted to make sure he made someones day a little brighter!
And so it goes. I bet you have a memory that really makes you want to enjoy the holidays. It keeps you holding on and holding up the vision of the seasonal celebrations.
We have been making baby steps toward a less is more holiday. We make sure to watch a Charlie Brown Christmas and listen to the complete Vinyl Cafe Christmas Collection and Dylan Thomas reading A Childs Christmas in Wales.
We pick and cut down a tree, and decorate it as a family (oh, relax, it's only one tree once a year)... trying not to get too uptight about how many of each ornament each person gets to put on.
We make some of our gifts, and the ones we buy we try to make practical, local and unique.
We remember NOT to accept every invitation to every party from October until January!
We go for family snowshoing expeditions and drink lots of hot cocao. We sit and read by the fire. We bake doggie treats and make popcorn garland.
But we still sneak away and buy "stuff". Well, maybe this year it will change. Maybe this year we won't be tricked into the corperate white wash.
As long as we keep reminding ourselves that "stuff" isn't as memorable as the smells, moments shared and smiles given during this crazy time of year we should be okay. After all even change needs to happen in moderation right?
And so it goes. I bet you have a memory that really makes you want to enjoy the holidays. It keeps you holding on and holding up the vision of the seasonal celebrations.
We have been making baby steps toward a less is more holiday. We make sure to watch a Charlie Brown Christmas and listen to the complete Vinyl Cafe Christmas Collection and Dylan Thomas reading A Childs Christmas in Wales.
We pick and cut down a tree, and decorate it as a family (oh, relax, it's only one tree once a year)... trying not to get too uptight about how many of each ornament each person gets to put on.
We make some of our gifts, and the ones we buy we try to make practical, local and unique.
We remember NOT to accept every invitation to every party from October until January!
We go for family snowshoing expeditions and drink lots of hot cocao. We sit and read by the fire. We bake doggie treats and make popcorn garland.
But we still sneak away and buy "stuff". Well, maybe this year it will change. Maybe this year we won't be tricked into the corperate white wash.
As long as we keep reminding ourselves that "stuff" isn't as memorable as the smells, moments shared and smiles given during this crazy time of year we should be okay. After all even change needs to happen in moderation right?
RSS Feed