Too blessed to be stressed. It’s an old adage that I’m working hard to embrace these days, especially in the face of a sluggish economy and tight employment market.
As we enter the holiday season I’m especially thankful for my mother’s wisdom and common sense, which she’s passed on to my brothers and me. It’s taken me a few steps forward, and a few back, but I’ve been reformed when it comes to needs versus wants.
About 15 years ago she gave our immediate family the best gift of all, which I like to refer to as “burdens lifted.” She proposed that we stop exchanging Christmas presents with one another. My mother reasoned that there was nothing that she and my father needed that they couldn’t provide for themselves, and likewise, there was really nothing me and my brothers needed either that we also couldn’t provide for ourselves. Sure, there will always be things that we want, but our basic needs – food, shelter, and clothing – were being met.
Because of my mother’s new modus operandi, we’ve been able to enjoy the holidays, and each other, in a way that many American families probably don’t.
We’ve been freed from the frenzy of black Friday or having to buy another bathrobe for dad or unwanted bottle of perfume for mom. Not to mention the January hangover when the credit card bill arrives, heavy from all you’ve spent on friends and family as “so-called” measures of one’s love.
When our family gets together, our celebration is about food, family and fellowship. Sure, I enjoy receiving and giving gifts, but I’d rather do so because I want to, not because I feel pressure from society or advertisers telling me to do so. I only have one dear friend with whom I occasionally exchange gifts, be it at Christmas or for our birthday, but in general I prefer to offer gifts of volunteerism, food or other assistance that can really make a difference in someone’s life.
I don’t begrudge anyone who revels in the hype of the holiday shopping season. However, if you want one less item on your list to worry about, give of yourself instead of from your wallet. Your spirit will thank you.
Jennifer E. Mabry is a writer living in Boulder. She can be reached at Jennifermabry@hotmail.com. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
