When the Holidays hurt…
Ummm keep reading, even if you are the jolliest of the jolly! :)
From Joy to the World, to Tis the season to be Jolly. This is the time of year represents such an amazing gift, and is beyond a doubt a time for celebration. When you get to see your family, (dysfunctional or not)! And why is it at your office party and there is free food, folks attack it like they haven’t eaten a good meal in days. You’d think they’d never seen a sugar cookie before. Even if it’s a potluck they pile their plate so high full of crap to make very sure that they get enough of the homemade goodies we brought probably with their cat walking on the table and without watching their hands to make sure they get enough before it runs out. I digress. Sorry I have some pretty horrible imprints on my mind of office parties. Anyway, case in point, it’s at least a solid month of lights and sparkles and songs and presents and bows and sometimes we have the pressure to walk around with a permanent smile glued to our face. Unless you don’t mind being an outright Scrooge! (But that is another blog, I don’t have time for outright Scrooges.)
Well, what if you don’t feel like celebrating? What if you don’t feel like Rockin’ around the Christmas tree?! I can remember in Christmases past, walking around smiling so hard my face hurt, caroling all around town, and spreading glitter everywhere! I just could not understand why some people hated the Holidays. How can someone be sad during Christmas? Why is that jerk hogging the bottle of wine and downing all the egg nog? ITS STOCKINGS FILLED WITH CANDY AND AWESOME STUFF YOU WANT WRAPPED UP UNDER A TREE! OR 8 DAYS IN A ROW OF GIFTS?!?! Umm, well, now I get it.
Since the point of the Holidays is to give, love and a huge part being with our family and loved ones…. What if they aren’t around? It’s like this gaping whole that takes on a life of its own. Whether a loved one who is associated with so many Christmas memories has either passed away or just isn’t around anymore, the simple truth is it hurts. It hurts worse than it does any other time of the year. I know what it feels like to not feel like celebrating. Instead of stuffing my face full of yummy goodies and opening presents and spreading cheer… I know what it feels like to want to stay in my bed with the shades drawn watching ‘The Holiday’ and ‘Edward Scissorhands’ interchangeably. Or my personal favorite, popping in a Shirley Temple movie and doing a shot of whiskey every time she breaks into song and dance. That’ll do it!
Well if that’s you, and you aren’t stoked about the Holidays or are dreading it it’s time to make a change and bring on the figgy pudding baby!!! Now it’s not a sure fire shot but it is sure worth a try. :)
There are so many other people besides you that are hurting during the Holidays. There are millions of people and I’m pretty sure some are right down the street that need some cheer too! Nursing homes are the perfect place to visit. There is always someone there who wants someone to talk to. And believe me when I tell you the stories they have to share will most likely be hilarious. Whether they intend for it to be or not. It may sound cliché but go visit a homeless shelter. If you haven’t, it will change your life forever. Believe me! You see those precious little faces that don’t even have a place to live…. No words can even describe it. You don’t even have to take anything! However if you do want to take something and you don’t have a lot of money to spend you can take cookies, a regift, or even something from the dollah store! They will be so grateful. :)
Just remember there is always someone else who has it worse than you do. Someone who is hurting far more. So get your hiney out of the town of Sadville, Population 1 (that’s you) and go jingle yourself on down the street! I promise you that the connections you make and just making one person smile will lift your spirits immensely. It probably won’t be a total cure of your sadness, but believe me it will help!
I can attest to even recently not being excited about Christmas. I had gotten out of a relationship. Was bummed about friends I’d lost, and there are some family… um, issues going on! (LOL putting it mildly) and I actually felt sorry for myself. I didn’t wanna put up the tree! Can you imagine?!?!!?!? Then I looked at my precious, gorgeous, beautiful, darling ANGEL of a babygirl, my amazing family, and the REAL friends that I have and I felt repulsed by my former thoughts.
Christmas, Hanukkah, ChristmasaKwanzaka are not only times to celebrate, but to continue to be thankful. My precious Savior was born that day! That sweet little baby Jesus didn’t even have a place to be born. A nasty old barn, can you imagine! Poor Mary! :-/ Anyway, it may not have looked good then, but look what He accomplished for us. So if you are hurting this season, it’s ok. You aren’t the only one. I promise you that it will get better. But you have to want it to, and it’s not going to magically get better on it’s own. So even though you don’t want to, you’re going to have yourself a MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS, I just know it! :)
P.S. Have you seen the episode of The Office where they go to the Asian Hooters aka Beniihana and Michael Scott brings back a couple of waitresses and marks one with a marker and gives her a bike that was supposed to go to Toys for Tots?! LOLOLOL... Ok well you need to watch it, like ASAP. It's complete awesomeness! Oh, and you're welcome in advance!
