I have to admit that I am not a big fan of the "holiday season." I'm not into parties, gift giving, trying to get along with others, or just being....well, you get the picture.
I know there is something to be said for ritual, tradition, and looking forward in hope. I think what I don't like about these holiday gatherings is we spend too much time looking back and not enough in the present or looking forward. The past isn't always a bad thing, it's...just...I don't remember much of the past.....so, I like to look forward with hope for a better tomorrow.
Christmas is a time with family. It is a joyful time exchanging gifts with family. On the other hand a person can volenteer for Christmas helping others in need. If Christmas holidays create to much stress, give someone a hug or a card. Just sit down at CVAB and have a cup of coffee. It doest take much to reach out without spending alot of money some people do not have.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to religious events at Christmas I was taught something different. My father was a preacher. He taught me not to set one day of the year aside to worship God and Jesus. He reminded me of all the other times during the year to worship. Go to church every Sunday and partake of the Lords supper. Use our voices to sing and pharse The Lord Jesus Carolyn
I was raised with the Holiday season being a time of rush-rush, and disappointment. So when I was on my own and came across a religious group that does not believe in celebrating birthdays and/or holidays, and said that December is not the time Christ was born, I accepted the idea gladly.
ReplyDeleteFor years I hated the holiday season [which, by the way, was not part of the previously mentioned religious group] eventually though, I accepted the fact that Christmas comes once a year whether I believe in it or not. I do very much enjoy many of the songs sung at this time of year.
At Christmas time, actually, any time of year, if I see something that I think someone would like and I am able to purchase it for that person, I buy it and give it to them. At Christmas and birthdays, I probably do pay more attention to wrapping gifts. That has been a fun part for me wrapping things creatively for my grandson. One year, my gift to him was [no surprise here] a video game. I put it between two paper plates and crocheted them together using wrapping ribbon instead of crochet thread or yarn. To unwrap [or—unravel] his gift, he threw it towards the soft couch several times.
There was a period of time that about the only time I was allowed to visit my family was for birthdays and holidays, so I began to accept it. The way I remember, the same book that says that you are not required to put one day above another, also says that if you do, do it in a holy manner. [That is certainly not verbatim.]
I’m sure there was a famous quote I found some information about online at http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=495329
"The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002.
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
Studying history is necessary to avoid repeating past mistakes. This
saying comes from the writings of George Santayana, a Spanish-born
American author of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries."
Also, on a more personal note, I attend a lot of 12 step recovery meetings and one practice that is commonly stated there is to take time once or twice a year to review our mistakes and look at “What could I have done better?” We continue to reveal stories of our past in terms of experience, strength, and hope, not only so that others can be helped by being able to identify with, relate to, our stories, but also because the more I am able to share of my experience, the healthier I become myself. That applies whether I am talking about my alcoholism or my mental/emotional difficulties.
Happy Holidays!!
Please join us for New Years Eve refreshments and Karaoke at CVAB from 10am to 2pm Thursday December 31st 2009!