How are you doing during this holiday season?

I’ll admit I’ve darkened a number of holiday parties and Christmases over the years.  While others around me delight in their family connections and memories of holidays past, I’ve taken the time to revel in awful family memories and awful holidays past. This, while trying to put on a holiday that my two kids could enjoy all by myself.
 
After my daughters confronted me about the impact that my annual holiday blues was having on them, we created some fun and affordable ways to celebrate with new, positive traditions.  

This year, I couldn’t wait to get the tree up. It’s been a pleasant surprise.

My Top Secrets for Increasing Holiday Joy

         Give up the guilt.
Hopefully, we cherish those we’re close to all year long to the best of our ability. So what difference does it make if the Christmas card or package is late? Or if  we don’t send one at all? D
id the neighbors revolt when I stopped baking Christmas cookies? 
As near as I can tell, no one has suffered from the losses.
     Spend your resources where they’re truly needed.
Volunteering at a kitchen for the homeless or adopting a family in need is a terrific way to ring in the holidays. Do you worry your efforts will go to some lazy people gaming the system?
 
I’ll never forget the piles of presents on my apartment doorstep in 1990 for my daughters and me.  A kind family hosted our Christmas, and every detail, from the wrapping of the presents to the sizes and colors of the winter clothing they selected for us was perfect. (Thank you, Christmas Angels!)
      Connect with one person you may have lost touch with ages ago that won’t expect to hear from you.
Example: I heard stories of a great babysitter I had as an infant in Kentucky. I Googled her and got her address a couple of years ago and sent her a card from Alaska. Well over forty years had passed since we’d seen one another. She called me, and both of our holidays were made better by the renewed connection.

What traditions do you enjoy, alone or with your friends and families over the holidays?

Thanks for being here. I am grateful for your company. 

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