Finding the Holiday Spirit
With everyday life becoming more hectic everyday it is very hard to keep the Christmas spirit especially when you don't live near your family. With the economic out look of this year being depressing on its own maybe it will be a little easier for people to get back the Christmas spirit.
Christmas was founded on the notion of St. Nicholas going around to people's houses and leaving things that they needed and some trinkets for the children to brighten their poverty stricken lives. It wasn't about St. Nicholas going around to peoples houses trying to see who would give him the best present in exchange for his showing up or his worrying that his gift wouldn't be good enough compared to the ones he would recieve. The true spirit lies in giving, not competing or recieving.
If you think to a time in your life when things were a little tougher than normal and you couldn't wait for the holidays just because things seem better during that time of year because of either family togetherness or because there is just generally a better attitude of the people around you as the holiday times bring back fond memories. No matter your religion or celebration at this particular time of year everything just seems to be a bit brighter.
If your Christmas spirit is nowhere to be found this year try and drum up your most pleasant memory and go walk around the mall, sip on a holiday inspired drink and people watch. Smiles are contagous so if you are watching happy people shopping for the important people in their lives maybe it will spark something in you. I have found that if you are more stuck than usual and just working til you can hardly stand a toy store is usually a good place to go. Even if you don't have any kids to buy for you can at least go walk around and think back to when the most important thing to you was getting a new outfit for your Barbie, an RC car, or the chemistry set.
If that doesn't seem helpful to you sit on you most comfortable piece of furniture wrapped in a blanket with some hot cocoa or tea with a cinnimon stick and watch you favorite holiday movie. Even better yet have a marathon, one cheesy christmas flick after another. If you don't own any don't worry every station plays a selection over and over again every year.
The only other thing I can think of would be to have a doctor inject you with candy canes and sugar plums. Maybe a shot of cinnimon or two if you're really lathargic. Decorate your house and do what you usually do or volunteer at a shelter if you have never done that. You will appreciate everything a little more and seeing the generosity of other people and yourself at a time that has become self serving can really open your eyes.
