As the holiday season rolls around again this year, I have moments of stress, but not like in years past. Now that we are older and in a mode to get rid of stuff, rather than accumulate more stuff, my husband and I don’t really exchange gifts with my parents or his family. We get things for children we know and some heartfelt little gifts for our close friends, but no more big stuff. We try to do something or go somewhere with my folks later in the year. I am grateful to my parents. They have never put any pressure on us during the holiday season. With so many demands and get-togethers, it’s nice not to have to deal with the guilt trips I hear so many people deal with during the holidays.
I try to keep my spiritual sense this time of year. When stores are displaying Christmas items just after Halloween, I realize it has become a time of buying and spending. My husband and I also try to give to charities during the holidays and donate throughout the year. People are in need all days of the year, not just during the holidays. I always loved attending the candlelight services at church when I was a kid. Seeing the glow of candles and the poinsettias at the church altar always made me feel a sense of calm and renewed my spirituality. I still try to recapture that feeling whenever I can, especially around the holidays.
My perspective has changed over the course of time. The most important things in my life are not “things.” They are my husband, my family, and my dear friends who are like family to me. The spirit of the holiday and the desire to make that feeling last all year round has become something important to me. A sense of giving, being with people I love, and feeling a sense of self has become my priority over the trendy and expensive gifts I’ve seen advertised since October.
It has taken me many years to shift my holiday perspective and not feel the stress I once felt, but it has happened. Lighting a candle and thoughtful reflection always takes me to a calmer place, a place I feel at peace. I cherish the holiday season and all the days to come in the New Year.
