Christmas Spirit

Another Christmas Day has come and gone! I love the Christmas season! Everyone is so happy and polite! Isn’t it nice? People holding doors open for one another, offering a smile and a helping hand. Most people are much nicer to and more considerate of their fellow man during the month of December.

Then….. boxing day madness!!!! And it is all over.

Such a shame to only have that feeling once a year!  How can we hold onto this feeling of goodwill towards men and what exactly makes us feel this way?

Other than creating another Christmas-like celebration in the summer I really don’t know how you would get this overall feeling of goodness back until next Christmas – and with how much controversy one Christmas has I can’t imagine there will ever be two!

So how do we hang onto this feeling? How do we not revert back to “bah-humbugging” our way through the year?

I guess it probably comes down to each individual person. We all have our thoughts regarding the Christmas season.

There is the religious aspect obviously…..but those “churchy” types seem to happy all the time, so that can’t be it. OR maybe that is it! Maybe that is the thing they hold onto all year….not just during Christmas – interesting theory.

There is the giving aspect! Which I personally LOVE! Nothing I enjoy more than watching someone I love open a gift that I selected or made specifically for them! SO maybe that is it…instead of just giving gifts at Christmas we spread it out all year. The 25th of every month is present day? Hmmm that could work you know; and as an all year Christmas shopper I would know! I love picking up the perfect Christmas gift in the middle of summer and stashing it in my closet until it is time to get out the Christmas wrap! So maybe instead of waiting until Christmas we just give the gift whenever we feel like it?

There is the “slowing down “aspect as well. This is another one that I love! Everyone just shuts down for that one day a year! You can spend it however you like; a crazy day spent traveling from relative to relative topped off with a huge feast; or you stay in your pajamas all day, opening presents, watching movies, playing cards and cooking turkey!  Either way you are with family and taking guilt free day off! SO is that it? Making more time for guilt-free days off? Or making more time for family events? Or would eating more turkey do it?

Of course there is the receiving of gifts aspect…Who doesn’t like getting gifts? The “ohhh, what is it?” the “WOW I love it” and the “OMG, how did you know!?”  It feels good to be thought about! To know that one of our loved ones was out and about when something caught their eye and made them think of us! How nice! So it that it?? We need to get more gifts throughout the year in order to keep the Christmas spirit alive all year?

Now let’s not forget the Christmas music and decorations! There is something so nice about getting out of your car in the freezing cold to get that last minute jug of eggnog and being greeted with Christmas carols! Is it just me, or does it seem like every store has outdoor speakers in December?  And the decorations!! Beautiful! Even the tacky ones are beautiful!! Lights, snowmen, santas, nativity scenes, reindeer….amazing! So maybe that is it? Leave the trees, garland and lights up all year? 

 I don’t have the answers and really, do we need to know what makes us feel this way?OR do we just need to try our best to keep the Christmas spirit alive as long into the new year as we can? 

I think that is it! Just try our best! 

Ok, so whatever you need to grab onto or remind yourself of or alter in your life to keep that goodwill towards men thing going  - do it! 

I bet it will rub off on those around you……and if it doesn’t -  well at least yule feel good! ;o)