Part 7: Restoring Meaning in the Holidays
In this commercialized world, we are encouraged to overspend, overschedule, and overdo – and as a result, we become overwhelmed. Maybe it’s time to slow it down a bit and remember what it’s all about and to reflect that in our family and community experiences.
What are some ways to restore the real meaning of the season?
Take stock of holiday seasons past. Have they been more characterized by pressure and stress, or by meaning and renewed peace? If your answer was pressure and stress, it’s time to do it differently. For you, what is the real meaning of the season, and how can your attitudes, your communications, and your celebrations reflect and honor that? Whether you are Christian as I am, or whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanza, or something else – don’t get lost in frantic or futile practices that fail to transmit “the reason for the season.”
1. Teach your children the foundations of your beliefs and your faith and how they relate to this season. Include some fun activities in the holiday mix that enable you to share those lessons without the “sit-down lecture” that often causes kids to roll their eyes and tune you out.
2. Demonstrate love in your own daily attitudes – not just in finding “the perfect gift.” Exemplify and model love (and patience!) in thousands of little caring behaviors.
3. Emphasize people, not projects. After all, aren’t the projects designed to benefit and create positive experiences for people? How much sense does it make to allow the projects to make us irritable and impatient with the very people for whom we allegedly want to “make happy.” (I could write another article on the futility of the unrealistic goal of making everyone happy, but I’ll save that for another time.)
4. Involve the family in giving to less-fortunate others outside the immediate circle. There are thousands of volunteer opportunities in your own community – either for serving or for providing material help for those in need. This awareness and action is excellent training for children in combating selfishness and showing compassion. Great life lessons!
Blessings for the most meaningful holiday season ever!!!
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Do you have other questions I haven’t included? You can ask them and I’ll answer on the Shrink Rap suggestions for staying sane during the holidays. While you’re at the Shrink Rap Blog, sign up to be notified of new posts at the top right of the page.
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Want to reprint this? The answer is “yes” if you include the following attribution: Dr. Bev Smallwood is a psychologist, speaker, Show Host at The Women’s Information Network (thewinonline.com), and author of “This Wasn’t Supposed to Happen to Me.” Visit her website, www.DrBevSmallwood.com, or contact her directly at 601-264-0890.
