Holiday Presence vs Presents

"I can't believe it is almost the end of 2023" is what everyone I know has been saying over the past Christmas weekend. All of the holidays snuck up on all of us! Today is the day after Christmas and many people will feel a sense of accomplishment because the productivity of shopping, decorating, attending parties, and wrapping gifts has all been completed! We did it! Hooray!

Then there are the other people who may not have had that same feeling about the holiday season and were filled with sadness, grief, financial anxiety, and stress from blended families pulling us in every direction. We start to overthink all of the spending, consumerism, materialism, capitalism, and resent the pressure to adopt the Holiday Spirit.

I had to keep my inner Grinch tamed over the past couple of weeks because I don't want to get swept up into the frenzy. I value time with family and friends and looked forward to a few potluck gatherings which were simple and didn't center around buying gifts for every person. I am so glad that my friend group is comprised of like minded women who also like to keep it simple and favor connection and presence versus 'presents'.

 I attended a fun white elephant that was kept simple and easy. Grateful that it was a low pressure type of gathering. I made sure my kids knew that we value time together and aim for "experience" gifts rather than buying stuff we don't need.

The last thing I want is to know that a friend, or my adult children, were scurrying around the mall last minute just forcing themselves to find SOMETHING, ANYTHING, that I would possibly need or want so that they could feel good about handing me a gift on Christmas. Unnecessary stress.

I was happy when my kids gave me their present which was a Gift Card for a PAINT and SIP Art Event for Two! I love those and it's been since pre-covid days since I attended one. Good job kids!! We also were able to spend time with just us four on Christmas night, after all the extended family gatherings were done, and were truly PRESENT with each other. I felt connected to them and love when they three are together and playing games as a family. They have a totally OPEN ENERGY when it's just Us. I feel good about how we spent our time.

Each year I will continue to refine my holiday plans to be more intentional without any comparisons to whatever the social norms are. I want peace and calm for my Self, family and friends. I don't want people to spend money out of pressure to perform or pressure to measure up to Holiday Movies. I want more time together going on walks or doing uplifting activities that inspire growth and expansion of our minds and hearts. I want to rise above the need to follow any traditions that don't resonate anymore. If I naturally and organically happen to come across a product that I know a friend would LOVE, when I wasn't even searching for a gift, then I want to buy it and give it! I don't need a calendar of Hallmark holidays for that. Those types of organic gifts are the best "just made me think of you" type of presents that can happen any day of the year.

Next is New Year's 2024 and I will share my thoughts on that soon! I hope for people to get away from the typical Resolutions type of goal setting. I love that we are joining together in person on December 30th and New Year's to be more thoughtful about intention setting. I will be mindful to remember that daily Presence is the ultimate goal that can be set, and reset, every single moment of each day.