The Best Holiday Gift

In keeping with the spirit of the season, I find myself caught up in all the usual activities which inundate my time during the holidays. The gift lists, holiday parties, home decor, more parties and more gift lists. I must say that it feels like a bit of a rat race, rather than a joyous time meant to celebrate a spiritual homecoming, which for some is the birth of Christ, for others is Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or other. The routine of it all, and expectation of "things" makes the season feel a bit obligatory, rather than the sentimental. How do we take it back? How do we re-capture the very essence of what the season is meant to bring into our lives, beyond the eggnog, baked ham and tangible gifts we seek to receive? How do we get back to the heart of the holidays?

As I pondered these questions, in between sips of eggnog, I realized that my singular self cannot change the worldwide commercialization of the season; but I can change how those I love, experience the holidays with me! I took my lists of clothes, cool gadgets and gizmo's, and tore it up. I instead wrote down each person's name and next to it, I listed all of the intangible things I would give each individual every month, for one full year. So for example, let's take my boyfriend - He always states that I don't "really" listen. My plan is to give him the gift of being the best listener I can be. And through that conscious exercise, I am sure I will see much deeper into him, and will maybe even have the opportunity to give him better gifts throughout the year, because I would have dug deeper to truly listen in a way that I do not right now. That's just one example. Instead of giving my sister a new bracelet or the usual pair of earrings, I decided to give her something I know will make her heart happy and that is to watch her kids one Saturday a month so that she can have alone time with her husband or just great "Me Time" without worrying about a sitter or spending extra cash.

Giving the latest electronics is cool, but in today's world of excess, super-sized meals and TVs, do we really need more stuff? I think not, and so this holiday I choose to celebrate the true spirit of the season. I choose to give an abundance of what the human kind needs today, which does not have a ring tone, play music, or any of the like. I choose to give back that which I appreciate receiving, that is the gift of love to those I love, and we can toast to that over a glass of eggnog and maybe a baked ham!

Happy Holidays!

Samantha Blogs