Are you struggling with the holidaze and their meanings? You are not alone. Every year my disdain for the season grows. The hypocrisy, the money, the ever-present wants and obligations - and to fulfill them all…..
Big sigh.
It is no secret that the retailers are ramping up the holiday campaign earlier and earlier to grab our hard earned money (the all mighty dollar.) They bombard us with sparkling guilt, the snow filled promise of a better day, and puppy-eyed life changing happiness around a story (a story that I personally believe Is, just a story) and they laugh all the way to the bank.
But we all (myself included of course) begin to trudge through month after month of cosmic materialism. I use the term “cosmic” because the advertising manifests their way into everything and every aspect of our viable life, beginning in late September.
The ads somehow tap our veins, gets into our minds, and seduces us via twinkling ice icicles, peppermint mochas, and the (devil of them all) shopping.
Try as I might to ignore it – I get sucked in and it all enters my head to the breaking point, and then I get pissed at myself. I just haven’t figured out how to tiptoe around it – so I don’t. This upsets my family a bit, but my adamant stance against it never fails to ignite a fire (no apologies.) And they say, “You used to LOVE this time of year, what happened?”
A lot happened, but I will save you the bloody details and just say I lost my passion for a Holiday lost in translation.
What I want to share instead of ranting more on this is: Turning the revolt back into something special true and tangible, begins and ends outside of the content attached to the season. We can dig into our hearts instead of our pockets all year round - the needy are not just needy this time of year. The unfortunate children want so very little. The simplest of things that go beyond the coin (that we all take for granted) include a smile, a hug, a warm coat, shoes without holes, a new comb, or 3 meals a day…
It is heart wrenching to know how much pain exists in our own back yard.
The most amazing thing is to witness the extreme graciousness in the homeless, the tired, the young, elderly and the desperate that live with nothing - yet have everything when it comes to simplicity of the heart. Spend a little time with these souls and it is life changing (to say the least.)
Does it solve the problems? NO – Will Oct- through Jan be less commercialized? NO. But we can all numb it out and go full throttle with a bigger campaign inside our hearts to help out instead of obligatory shopping.
It feels kinda right…
I started a few traditions with my family that I would like to share –
* We make goody bags of fruit, warm hats, gloves, and basic hygiene products and give them out all year long. (The Dollar Tree is a great resource to fill the bags without breaking your wallet)
* My favorite “donation site” is KIVA – Loans that change lives (http://www.kiva.org/) – you find someone in need, give them a loan and they work to pay you back. Once you have been re-paid, you can do another loan. The money recycles and a little goes a very long way
* The Giving Tree – pick (from the tree) simple requests children have made and fulfill them. Take your Kleenex; it is a tough one to read the wants some of the angel have.
* Find the shelters that need your donations all year round instead of “good willing” – Your local Church is a great resource.
* Donate time (if possible) instead lieu of money. Libraries, Nursing Homes, local schools, Churches etc. they all can use extra help all year long.
Giving certainly ignites this time of year, but dwindles after the New Year however kindness and giving isn’t seasonal. Keeping the “Spirit of the Season” alive beyond a few months really helps to cast a gentler view on the mass commercialism and opens up what is truly important. It also lessens the assault and the burden of materialism forced upon us all.
So as I breathe this all in, I settle a bit and go back to the magic and the reality of what this time of year holds – The ultimate irony of so much sadness and so much joy condensed 3-fold as the holidaze climb into our tears and out of our wallets.
The good, the bad and a child was born – Santa (St. Nick) is watching and the meek shall inherit the earth. (dl)
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