There’s a lot riding on the biggest holiday season of the year. For retailers it’s the time to make it or break it. Most wait all year for this day. For individuals, it’s the time where expectations are high and we run frantically, shopping for the right gifts for our family and friends. A day where family dynamics play out – good and bad. Some love this day for the light and sparkle and anticipation it brings.
I was sad to see the Christmas season encroaching more and more on fall. Halloween day saw the Christmas displays going up and ads had started prior. And stores started opening on Thanksgiving for the first time. We’re losing fall and all it brings in the name of commerce.
I heard a story on NPR about the sadness in many of our favorite Christmas songs – like Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, White Christmas and Home for the Holidays. The lyrics refer to better times in the past and hope for the future because the current times are a little blue. The story talked about how these songs likely bring joy when we’re not feeling down, and I would agree.
As a child, I couldn’t get enough of the lights and the Christmas tree. The more and bigger, the better. Even now, our small family has to have just the right tree. And we MUST cut it down. It’s just not the same otherwise. It’s not just Christmas day, it’s the process that makes it special. And it is much fun to establish new traditions and share the season with our daughter, who loves every bit of it.
It’s the little things, really. The night before Christmas Eve our new neighbors stopped by with cookies, just to say hi. It was unexpected and so nice and something that’s often lost in many neighborhoods. It’s that sense of community that makes us feel more connected and the season more special.
So take time from your busyness and be present with those closest to you. Find little moments out of the chaos, pause and smile. All the best!
