What are you doing this holiday season?

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we have officially entered the holiday season. It’s a time for celebrating and singing, a time for decorating and eating, a time for traveling and shopping.

Hold on a minute! This sounds more like a time for being overwhelmed – too much food, too many people, too much noise! I’m not trying to sound like the Grinch, but he did have one thing right: when we are too busy with the festivities, we lose sight of the meaning of the season.

So what can we do to manage all the hustle and bustle that comes this time of year? Well, we could try to get all of our shopping done weeks ahead of time. Or we could follow the advice of Mr. Benjamin Franklin who listed moderation as one of his thirteen virtues. Moderation is avoiding extremes. We’ve got to find a way to stay balanced and not run ourselves ragged.

Here are a few suggestions for slowing down and reconnecting with ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors.

Caution: do not try to do all of these – Pick one or two, and enjoy.

• Breathe deeply – smell the cinnamon and the pine

• Pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa, sit by yourself and reminisce about the past year

• Gather your family together and read your favorite holiday story

• Invite your friends over to watch the classic film “It’s A Wonderful Life”

• Bake cookies and take the kids to share them with an elderly neighbor

• Volunteer as a family to serve a meal at a homeless shelter in your area

• Remember: slow down!
  

• Look and see the twinkling lights.
  

• Taste and savor grandma’s apple pie.
  

• Hear and listen to the familiar carols.
  

• Enjoy the present moment. May this be a meaningful and memorable holiday season for you!
  

About the Author:

Tamara Batarseh, Executive Director of Love In A Big World (LBW), is a singer/songerwriter/performer with over fifteen years of performance experience. She is co-founder of LBW and has been the creator of the organization’s programs and materials. Batarseh has recorded two albums, written LBW’s character education curriculum, trained LBW’s performers, and performed live for thousands of kids.

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