Earlier this week I had lunch with a girlfriend I hadn't seen in a while. Barely two seconds after we sat down, and even though it is only a few days into December, she immediately launched into how upside down she was about the approaching holidays. I did manage to get in a question or two when she paused to take a breath, but it was clear she was looking for sympathy, not solutions. After spending over an hour being as supportive as I could, I was relieved when she said she was late for another obligation and simply had to go. Of course I can't really blame my friend, because it wasn't so long ago that I was a lot like her.
I know that the Christmas season can be very stressful. I know it because I used to make myself crazy trying to squeeze everything in. But there are solutions for anyone who is ready for a change. By approaching the holidays from a more minimal or simple living perspective, we can each stay focused on what the holiday really means to us, without allowing the hype to drown us in expectations.
With that in mind, here are 10 relatively simple things we can do this month:
- Stop giving gifts. The Christmas holiday did not start out as a gift-giving extravaganza. It's only been within the last 50 to 75 years that the retailers began to realize how much money was involved and started planting the habit (or should we say addiction?) to giving and getting presents. While it may be sweet to give someone you care about something special, flooding anyone with too much stuff is a reflection of a out-of-control consumer society (not love). If you just can't go cold turkey, try to make your gift-giving circle very small. Tell everyone you've exchanged gifts with in the past (as soon as possible) that they won't be getting anything from you this year and you'd prefer the same from them. Just try it for one year to see how it goes. This activity is the biggest stressor (not to mention the biggest money suck) of the holiday season so whatever you do or don't do, please, at least try it out.
I'm sure many of you have other great ideas that can lead to a simple and happy holiday, and I'd love for you to share them in the comments below. Regardless of whether you choose to embrace all 10 of my suggestions or just pick out one or two that might be helpful, you can be sure that these have the power to change the way you look at Christmas forever -- and I mean that in a good way! As for my lunchtime friend? Whether or not she ever changes is entirely up to her -- as for me, I'm sticking with what is simple and SMART!
Kathy Gottberg believes in living healthy, authentic, fearless and SMART. Follow her journey at SMART Living 365.com.