Holiday joy can be a fleeting
thing this time of year, as many people feel more like Scrooge
than Tiny Tim. Behind the advertising blitz that bombards us
with consumerist images of smiling, well-dressed people giving
cheerfully wrapped packages is the dark truth of depression. Out
of 14 countries, the U.S. tops the list in depression, according
to a recent World Health Organization poll.
Much holiday malaise can be
traced to a sagging economy and holiday expectations. A parents'
group, the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free
Childhood, wrote letters to 24 leading toy companies and
retailers to express concern about ads aimed at kids. These
parents expressed dismay that they can't afford the pricey toys
that toymakers are heavily advertising to our children, and
children feel diminished when they don't get pricey toys.
It's hard to believe that we are
descended from settlers' children, who rejoiced at receiving a
penny and a stick of candy as their main holiday gifts. In the
1800s, our kin earned $1,500 per year and would have had one
nice set of clothes for church and one shabby set for daily
life. They worked twice as hard for a simple diet because they
had to grown most of what they ate themselves.
Over the course of 200 years,
we've grown an average of 4 inches taller and 20 pounds heavier,
our houses have more than doubled in square footage, and we no
longer find joy in a penny and a stick of candy.
We need to reclaim our holidays
as times of family togetherness and joy, no matter what shape
the economy is in. Even if you don't celebrate the Christian
holiday or the Jewish Hanukkah or African Kwanzaa, you can still
celebrate a "secular Sabbath," in the words of New York Times
food columnist Mark Bittman. A secular Sabbath is a break from
email, cell phones, television, and all the other distractions
of modern living that keep us alienated from one another.
"You need not be elderly to
remember when we had no choice but to reduce activity on
Sundays; stores and offices — even restaurants — were closed,
there were certainly no electronics, and we were largely
occupied by ourselves or our families," writes Bittman.
Ways to get more joy from the
holiday season:
— Revel in the mundane moments.
Notice the details of the season: new fallen snow, laughing
children, glittering icicles and the sparkle of a lit tree.
— Avoid comparing your decorated
house with your neighbors', or your co-worker's holiday plans
with your own, and so forth. Instead of comparing, which is
almost always unfavorable, be genuinely glad for your fellows,
delight in their joy, and you in turn will feel greater
satisfaction.
— Be satisfied. Don't look for
satisfaction in material things because you won't find it there.
Satisfaction is a spiritual concept and cannot be bought or
given.
— Find the true meaning of the
holiday. A gift of time to the local soup kitchen or the "Toys
for Tots" program will deliver a greater feeling of joy than
spending more money at the mall. Look for ways to do generous
acts anonymously this season. Rekindle a sense of faith in
humanity as a gift to your community.
— Cherish family time. Spend
more time sharing joyful experiences like caroling, baking,
watching Christmas plays or making gifts together instead of
shopping.
— Put gratitude in your
attitude. Start your holidays off with a gratitude list that
notes all the wonderful tangible and intangible blessings in
your life. Counting your blessings will keep you focused more on
what you do have.
— Say thanks by calling or
writing a thank-you note right away after a gift or good deed.
This prolongs your joy and shares it with the giver.
— Keep the spirit of the
holidays in your heart all year. Remember to give often and
generously. Make volunteerism a part of your daily routine.
Research indicates that both the giver and the receiver of a
good deed get an endorphin boost from the act.
Shawn Dell Joyce is an
award-winning columnist and founder of the Wallkill River School
in Orange County, N.Y. You can contact her at Shawn@ShawnDellJoyce.com.
To find out more about Shawn Dell Joyce and read features by
other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the
Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••