If there is any one thing that can be taken as a certainty in life it is this........Christmas and the holiday season can be hectic times, to say the least.
Shopping for presents, decorating, Christmas parties and get-togethers, cooking, baking, and everything else(and often all occurring on the same day), do make December a month that often drives many of us to seek out mental wellness counseling.
If we're not driven to seek counseling, then the zaniness of this time of year drives many to seek solace at their local liquor store to see life through and live to see the new year.
Okay......perhaps excessive alcohol is not the best approach when it comes to dealing with the craziness of the season. However, there are lots of us who have developed well-defined and excellent coping strategies throughout our lives, that we implement at this time of year that help in some small or big measure in getting us through the season.
I'm no different than anyone else and feel I have an obligation to share with you some of the things that help me.
So, I've taken the liberty to compile some thoughts, Christmas-themed quotes, and such to help soften and reduce the anxiety and pressure that many of us, including myself deal with during this time of year.
Christmas Coping Helps
Decorations
Decorating the outside of our homes can be a fun and wonderful time spent with family creating the ultimate light show. And it certainly is a Christmas tradition for many families to drive through their neighborhoods to check out the light displays. It's something that as a family we did every year and continue to do so, even as empty-nesters.
But, be very careful when decorating a palm tree.
If there was ever a "picture is worth a thousand words" picture, this surely has to be the one.
In fact, no words need to be said. The picture says it all. Now, palm tree decorating isn't such an issue in the colder climate found here in Canada.
Having said that....there will be someone in Nova Scotia who will give an A+ effort and erect a near anatomically correct Christmas light display that would cause sweat to break out on Grandma's forehead as she gives it the once over on the family's annual "taking Grandma out to look at Christmas lights adventure."
Nevertheless, I can see places throughout the world where a bit of forethought may need to be exercised.
Now, in addition to that, selecting the correct decorations to go on your tree can present problems that many of us would have never assumed to exist. It is wise to remember, that ornaments have their own struggles too!
Christmas Spirit
It's more than ironic that the season which promotes "the spirit of Christmas" can also suck the Christmas spirit out of a person faster than matter getting pulled into a black hole somewhere deep in the outer reaches of the cosmos.
Just remember, the spirit of Christmas can have a multitude of meanings for each one of us.
Which, if we step back and think about it, it really makes the Christmas and holiday season just about perfect, as there is something .... that the "spirit of Christmas" could be different for everybody. Think of the "spirit of Christmas" as a cosmic-sized hot buffet table.......just belly-on-up....load the "old plate" with a delectable array of tasty "spirit of Christmas" samplings and all is good.
In that light, if Christmas spirit for you means - "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. But if the white runs out I'll drink the red" That's okay - go for it!
Big family Christmas celebrations can be a special time of merriment and memory-making and they certainly can ramp the Christmas spirit meter up a notch or two.
Having said that, if Christmas spirit for you means having an "old fashioned family Christmas", then what else can I add other than to quote the season's greatest originator of an "old fashioned family Christmas" - Clark W. Griswold:
"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no! We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny f*cking Kaye."
Gifting
One way in which the spirit of Christmas is felt is through gifting.
The giving and receiving of that perfect Christmas gift. They say "It is better to give than to receive." Not sure that the person who said it gets the full meaning of "Christmas present." But, I digress - people can be stupid.
We love that time spent fighting the hordes of shoppers in the mall, searching out the perfect gift for that special person in your life. Finding that one present they will treasure and adore forever. Or at least until they can return it sometime between Christmas and the New Year.
Just remember, buying Christmas gifts doesn't mean going into debt to show your love for someone.
However, it most certainly means, and in no uncertain terms, to be very careful when buying the "cute Christmas outfit" for your cat.
That is not a "chocolate nut log roll" kitty purchased at the mall for you. Just sayin'.
Christmas Eve
There are a ton of Christmas traditions that have a deep-rooted place in the lives of families on Christmas Eve. Many of them are focused on religious themes such as the time-honored Christmas Eve service at the church they may attend.
Now, we all get it that there are those(perhaps it's you....if not....maybe your two-bit low-life brother-in-law), that Christmas Eve is the only time they make it out to church for the entire year - and often reluctantly and often only after "a small or slightly larger tipple of wine" as an incentive.
Regardless of what the Christmas Eve tradition is, one that most children and their parents make sure happens is leaving milk and cookies out for the "jolly old elf himself" - Santa Claus.
One word of advice though.
If you happen to own a furry friend(this is speaking from years of experience here), placing the "old cookie and a glass of milk" gift near the Christmas tree for Santa needs a significant amount of thought and planning before the big night.
Never underestimate the willpower of a dog to find and eat the treats left for Santa.
And you can almost be assured as well that the dog will blame the cat. Or the other way around.
The Christmas Story
The true Christmas story. Not the movie.
The true story of Christmas does seem these days to get lost in the commercialism and marketing of "the holiday season" by those out for profit and the all-mighty dollar. Much like the Weston family in Canada does by sucking every last dollar from the wallets of Canadians at this time of year.....or all year for that matter. They own and/or control a vast number of retail, pharmacy, and grocery chains across Canada and abroad.
One way to help keep our sanity during this time, and it is an important one at that, is to keep the real and true meaning of Christmas in front of us at all times.
So, we all know the true Christmas story, at least to some extent.
Or at least we should be aware of the major players in it.
Mary and Joesph; obviously the baby Jesus; the shepherds in the fields at night; Bethlehem and the manger; and of course the arrival of the Three Wise Men.
I have been told that the "Three Wise Men" is somewhat of an oxymoron. Not sure oxymoron is the correct term here, but let's say it is true for the sake of this post.
As a side note, in our nation's capital of Ottawa this year, they canceled the nativity display on Parliament Hill outside the House of Commons. Apparently, they couldn't find "three wise men."
Nevertheless, would the arrival at the manger in that lowly stable in Bethlehem on that cold night a couple of thousand years ago of "Three Wise Women" make any difference to the entirety of the Christmas story.
Perhaps.
Let's take a visual look, shall we?
Apparently, a huge difference.
There you go.
A few tidbits of information and advice to help get you through the Christmas season reasonably unscathed.
And remember, Christmas is the only time of year you can sit in front of a dead tree eating candy out of socks.
Merry Christmas - I hope you make it through!
--as always with love--
--- get outdoors; find inspiration; discover yourself ---
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