A fun thing is happening to me this holiday season, every time someone says "I am so stressed, I have to buy a present for..." I start giggling, not because they are stressed but because I love irony. People rush around to buy things for various reasons, because they think they have to, to validate their love, to prove something to someone, and sometimes, because they really want to, while secretly hoping for the appreciation to pour their way. The irony here is they are creating stress buying presents and totally not being present.
I know I am not the first person to recognize that the holidays have become so hectic, everyone is trying to rush through them to get to January and be done with them. I miss the wonder of the season when it was about decorating, seeing pretty lights, my mother's braided cinnamon bread (the irony here being I have probably been intolerant of gluten my whole life but MAN was it good!) and the sing along we did on Christmas Eve. I wonder when someones company became less important than the latest wish list.
I love giving gifts so I'm not suggesting we forgo that, to anyone under the age of 18, but that we bring some presence into the season. Perhaps we can each ask ourselves what really matters to us and be the teacher of time being precious, not stuff. Not one soul who comes through to me wishes for their stuff but there is always an appreciation of the sweetest memory. I appreciate that my friends and I do time together rather than exchange gifts. Dinner out or a movie or snuggling into the couch with a cup of coffee and catching up is soul food. It nourishes at a level that is hard to explain. It validates we are connected to others and it gives value to the effort that is necessary in any friendship. I'm very blessed to have friends who get this.
How could you be more present this year? Would you like to volunteer? Would you want to say no to a holiday party you didn't want to go to anyway and stay home in your jammies while starring at the lights and giving thanks for whatever you learned this year? Would you like to start a tradition that the family only buy for those that are under an age or height limit? I don't know about you but I don't want to receive a gift someone has stressed over buying. Think of the energy associated with that. blek.
Give yourself the gift of time this year. Set an intention, if it feels right to you, to forgo the pressure of the manic shopping and perhaps make a donation in your family's name to a cause you believe in. I did this one year when I was younger and I remember the surprise of people's reactions but then the appreciation of being part of something they had no clue about but felt so good. I didn't realize then what I was doing had so much meaning, I probably thought it got me out of shopping too, but I am grateful to be aware of it now.
I wish you the gift of being totally present in your own life and seeing the magic that can bring. Sparkles, glitter and miracles.
Blessings,
Vicki
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