Christmas programs, office parties, friends' parties,
presents to buy, goodies to bake, meals to plan and prepare,
decorations to put up, gifts to wrap...... all to ensure
that everybody has a Merry Christmas?
Bah humbug.
Does it HAVE to be so busy?
Several years ago, my sister and I decided to just go the
"token gift" route because, after all, the real gift of the
season was spending time together as a family. Right?
Well that thinking lasted until all the "supposed to's"
kicked in, which was promptly followed by an over dose of
worry and guilt.
Buying someone a gift - regardless of price - is a major
worry event for me. I spend a great deal of time debating in
my head whether or not the receiver will like it or even
want it. I also weigh into the equation what the odds might
be of this gift being relegated to their White Elephant gift
list.
So when my sister and I decided to do "token" gifts, my
worry meter went up about 105% when I actually started
trying to figure out what in the world to give!
Basically, I hate Christmas. Or rather, I hate what it has
become. It's riddled with "shoulds" - all the things we do
and feel because someone else told us that's what we should
do or feel.
Now, these are not all bad. There are some very good things
about the season.... getting together with family you
haven't seen for awhile, showing appreciation to other
people in your life.... anything done, said or given freely
without obligation or agenda.... these are good.
However, doing things out of obligation is not. Being swept
up in the middle of someone else's agenda is not. These
things suck the life out of me and get my radical,
break-all-the-rules blood boiling.
What if.... no one gave gifts one Christmas? What if it was
the "norm" to give your time to someone outside your regular
sphere of friends or family? What if you anonymous hid $1,
$5, or even $10 or $20 bills as you went about your day,
leaving them for someone else to find? What if you made a
game out of seeing just how many different people you could
look into their eyes and say a sincere "Merry Christmas"?
What if....?
Here's to finding time to breathe
and having the courage to spread the real joy of the
season.