Christmas time is here again and the holiday season gatherings of family and friends begins. The hustle and bustle of shopping, fighting crowds and getting that perfect gift for someone can create undue panic and anxiety. We get so caught up in trying to make every detail perfect (or as near as possible) that we forget to relax and enjoy Christmas and what it really means. Hours of planning, shopping and wrapping comes down to the sounds of gift wrap being torn and thrown about which may only last minutes. Christmas is celebrated in many ways throughout our country and no matter how it is celebrated there are certain things that make the season brighter when you give a little of yourself to others.
Christmas cheer can be defined as “Food and Drink, especially alcoholic beverages consumed around the Christmas holiday.” We all know the feeling food and drink can bring when enjoyed during the holidays. We eat or drink too much and then we have to either nap or loosen a belt buckle a notch or two. Christmas cheer is also defined as the “Joyful and generous attitude expected of people at Christmas.” Now this definition is obvious when you watch Christmas movies on Hallmark but is it present everywhere?
You may also feel Christmas cheer when you hear your favorite Christmas song. Whether it is “Silent Night” or “Jingle Bells” we all get that feeling of the season singing along. This feeling can be described as the Christmas Spirit that fills you up with happiness and joy. This Spirit can help to remove any unhappy thoughts of the past year and replace them with hope and a brighter outlook for the New Year that approaches.
Many people will be staying in a hospital or nursing home this holiday season. Whether they are veterans or not most will miss out on sharing with family and friends. Some may have lost loved ones this year and could be struggling to hold the thoughts of them close. They will not get that hug or kiss that always makes things better for them.
So remember that Christmas time is about spreading happiness and joy to our fellow women and men. Begin by filling yourself with the Christmas Spirit (not the locally made “Spirits”) which will help you to spread the Christmas cheer to those who need it most this season. A joyful and generous attitude may just be contagious. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!