Blog#93: A Thankful Attitude Can
Reduce Holiday Stress
There are many reasons why
people feel stressed during the winter holidays. Busy schedules, tight budgets, tense personal
relations, food overload, and traveling or receiving guests are just some of
the issues. However, the end of year
holidays can give us inspiration and support inner calm and happiness even in
the face of challenging situations.
Let’s start with All Hallows
Eve, All Souls Day, the Day of the Dead and similar holidays. From October 31st
to November 2nd, people of diverse countries, religions and cultures
renew their connection to deceased family and friends with special foods,
decorations, costumes, altars, and other celebrations and rituals. The living receive guidance from the dead and
show appreciation and respect for friends and relatives who have crossed
over. The living celebrate the lives of
the deceased and also give thanks for their own ongoing lives. Death is not seen as a tragic ending or loss,
but rather as transition, transformation and continuance for which to be
thankful.
Following this holiday, Thanksgiving
helps remind us how essential the earth, plants, animals, and other people are for
our survival. Thanksgiving Day and
similar holidays are celebrated on varying dates and places throughout the
world, including the U.S., Canada, some Caribbean islands, Liberia, Germany,
the Netherlands, and Japan. A common
theme is giving thanks for the harvest that will sustain celebrants for another
year. Thanksgiving dinners often provide massive quantities of food. Centuries ago, there was likely a good reason
for these large meals. Then, food often
was scarce and people could not be sure how much nourishment they would be able
to obtain between autumn harvest and the following spring, when the earth once
again became prolific. Eating big meals
in autumn, when food was available, helped people put on a little extra fat,
which the body could burn off in the dead of winter.
Finally, Christmas, Winter
Solstice, Chanukah, Kwanza, New Years, and similar holidays all share a similar
theme - celebrating the returning of light after maximum darkness. Whether we
thank Christ, the savior for bringing us peace and salvation (Christmas), whether
we regard with wonder the Sun God gradually returning more light to the world
as we start moving toward spring (Winter Solstice), whether we commemorate the
miracle of the Festival of Lights, when one cup of oil kept a poor woman’s candles
burning for eight days (Chanukah), the themes of enlightenment, blessing and
miracles are present. And the New Year -
celebrating the birth of another life cycle, and Kwanzaa - commemorating
survival of African culture and traditions throughout the world both embrace
survival and rebirth.
Looking at things from the
perspectives of treasuring friends and family, living and deceased, thanking
the earth for daily survival, and celebrating the return of light into our days,
and mercy, grace and peace into our lives, we could conclude that we have much
to be thankful for, and that we can do much to make the holidays happy. A thankful attitude can help reduce physical
and emotional stress and help increase the joy in each day.
This blog’s offer: please accept my best wishes for happiness,
prosperity and health for the coming yearly cycle.
