Finding the Positivity In the Holidays

For all the good, many get overwhelmed by the not-so-good.

Photo by Ronin on Unsplash

For some, this is the best time of year. Starting with Halloween, then moving on to Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and then New Year’s Eve/Day, this is their favorite time of the year.

However, that’s not so for everyone. Many people find this time of the year frustrating, a reminder of pain — whether physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, or all the above — and many other negatives. Also, the utter bombardment of the music, crass commercialism, greed, and other elements are virtually impossible to avoid or ignore.

Those who poo-poo the holidays are often referred to as Scrooges or humbugs. How dare those who can’t get into the spirit bring everyone else down. As if that’s not enough, then you get those who are so offended by the non-existent “war on Christmas” that’s tied to recognizing that not everyone is a Christian or celebrates this holiday. “Happy Holidays” is not a war on Christmas, it’s just recognition that Christianity isn’t the sole religion for all of us.

Even those who find this time of year joyful can also be saddened, frustrated, and distraught by it. Let’s face it, very, very few people have families that are so perfect that they’re drama-free at the holidays. Certainly, nobody I know…