I heard a radio d.j. say something the other evening that I thought was pretty sad. She compared the whole idea of Christmastime to a big ball of stress. As I listened, I thought to myself, “What has changed to make Christmas such a hassle for so many people?” My resounding answer was that Christmas had not changed one bit. If it is stressful for you, then you need to take a good, long look at what you have made this wonderful holiday season into…and then change it!

For one, the same old Christmas songs are playing as were several years ago. I can depend on hearing Happy Holidays, Silver Bells or Blue Christmas at least a dozen times a day to keep me in the spirit. People still put up their lights. Some people even put up the same old light display, year after year…and it’s still pretty. There’s always a party to go to, always cards to send, always food to make. I can depend on seeing family whom I may not have seen in a while. Everyone tries to connect at Christmastime and it’s probably the one time of year when we don’t feel that there’s no good reason to do so.

I like the hustle and bustle of getting my daughter out to see Santa. I like seeing the city all lit up. And yes, I like the cheesy reruns of Frosty the Snowman on television. Even though there may be a new twist on things here and there, the point is that throughout the Christmas season, we tend to focus less on what Britney’s doing to herself or which one of our wonderful young, female celebrities is in rehab or jail. We are too focused on shopping and wrapping and yes, bitching that there just isn’t enough time and money to do Christmas right. Give yourself a break! Christmas is going to happen whether you give one or one hundred gifts. It’s going to happen whether or not you get the most expensive presents. It’s going to happen even if you’re not the first one to get that new video game that everyone else wants. And guess what…it will all still be there for you to want for the rest of the year. And it will probably be cheaper.

Make the most of your holiday by visiting those you miss and by letting the happiness of the season soak in. Look around you at the kids and how they enjoy this time of year. I just love watching my daughter take it all in. She thinks every light display is beautiful and every snowflake is a sight to behold. She doesn’t really care what is in the wrapped package, she just knows it’s something special, whatever it is. That’s why I look forward to Christmas every year.

Here’s hoping you have the best holiday season ever. Take care of yourself. Let yourself be happy to have made it through another year and to be seeing another Christmas!

Until next time…