An unexpected pleasure of becoming part of my husband’s family many years ago was getting introduced to their holiday traditions. One of my favourites is my mother-in-law’s annual rendition of the story about the year my husband became so excited by the combination of his December birthday quickly followed by Christmas that he worked himself into an asthma attack. 
Which year? Every year of his childhood! Apparently “we have to take the kid to the ER again” was his family’s version of “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…” Although he is now much older (and marginally less excitable), Christmas time is still a high water emotional mark in our household, something I am increasingly grateful for.
For so many of my clients, this time of year and its focus on family and connection not only fails to hold positive associations, but actively stirs up feelings of pain, loss, and isolation.
And even the most Christmas-positive among us can still feel like the social, physical, and financial demands of the season are enough to leech the joy right out of us.
So here are some of my suggestions for locating and holding on to your Christmas spirit:
- Spend time with a kid. Ideally one young enough to still be captured by the magic of the season, without being overtaken by the consumerism of it all
- Keep checking in with yourself and your limits – avoid over committing, overeating, overspending, over drinking – any of the “over”s that hold the power to turn a pleasure into a resentment
- Get outside – breathe the winter air, take a minute to appreciate how even our relatively brief and mild winter season transforms the smells, colours and sounds of our world
- Be grateful that you can come back inside. Be grateful for what you have (whatever that is), and keep your focus on what’s there rather than what’s missing
- Let go of your expectations – of yourself, of your loved ones, of the Season. Letting go of our attachment to how things should be is the first step to more fully appreciating how things are.
Happy Holidays everyone!
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