by Jen Oswald, Adventure 212 Fitness
This time of year is notorious for bringing out the worst in people. Short fuses, lack of sleep, strained relationships. Yet, for some reason, I don’t think that is how it was meant to be.
Regardless of which religion you subscribe to or what your spiritual beliefs are, I have yet to find a faith with a celebration that originated out of a desire to pull us further from family, bury us deeper in debt and create an atmosphere of chaos and stress. Yet, that is exactly how we tend to celebrate the holidays in our society. What if the holidays were actually intended to focus us on what matters and to simplify our lives for rest and reflection, if only for a few days at the end of the year? How would your holidays look then?
The truth is, we can all make the choice to make our holidays exactly what we want them to be. The key, as with everything, is to keep your values at the center of your celebrations. Here are a few tips to keep the holidays from taking over and to enjoy the peace the holidays promise.
- Tradition is important, especially if you have children. When your kids are grown, what do you want them to remember about holiday traditions? Even if you decide to travel, set a special event or day that you celebrate at home as a family unit before hitting the road for Grandma’s. Some suggestions: Morning breakfast or brunch while you open gifts as a family. Stockings of small gifts; to keep costs down, make it a mission throughout the year to find small gifts that remind you of those in your family. Decorate the tree together. Sponsor a family in need and provide their holiday meal. Contact a local organization for families in need.
- Set a spending limit ahead of time and stick to it. Better yet, divide and conquer. Draw names with your extended family so you are not buying for everyone. If there are several families getting together, do a “family gift”. Each family brings a gift for another family. You can make them specific or use them as part of a “white elephant” type game. The important part is to eliminate the need to buy for everyone.
- Keep the spirit in the season. Whatever your spiritual beliefs are, make room in the celebration for them. Too often, we get so busy celebrating, shopping, cooking and socializing, that we forget to honor the reason for the season. Find out when church services are and commit to attending. If you will be out of town, take the time to find a place to worship while you are there. The quickest way to find yourself immersed in holiday chaos is to lose sight of the real reason you are celebrating in the first place.
- Go green. Send email cards, instead of using snail mail. Give gift cards instead of spending hours in a mall buying gifts that may end up in a landfill or at Goodwill. For the gifts you do buy, find a more creative way to wrap them than traditional wrapping paper. Again, think landfill.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Be creative in taking back your holidays. Make a vow right now to avoid the stress and mindlessness often associated with the holidays. And may this be a most peaceful season of joy, family, friends and faith. Happy Holidays!
