Tis the Season, to not forget.

Tis the season! It's a term of phrase I hear all the time during the winter months, but tis the seasons to be what? Jolly? Filled with merriment? To be giving? I find that as the days wind down towards any holiday; Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Yule, etc. That people slowly seem to stop being jolly...stop being so merry...stop being at all...cheerful. Why is this the case?
Stress.

As simple as that. There is usually so much to be accomplished during this season. Shopping, holiday cards, baking, cooking, wrapping gifts, visiting friends and family, decorating, and keeping a watchful eye on how much you are hurting with finances. As people get so consumed with how BUSY they will be, with how MUCH they have to do, and how LITTLE time they have to do it, they tend to forget what this season is truly about.

I'll admit, the season can get overwhelming, I've even shed a tear or two in frustration but then it hit me and I stepped back. Stress has ruined every holiday that I can ever remember, from birthdays, to Halloween, or Christmas (when I would spend it with my family), even Thanksgiving, on a day then we are supposed to be thankful and appreciate what we had, all I would ever see was foul attitudes, ungratefulness, and snapping voices. Days that were meant to enrich our family and friends were turned into terrible memories of fights and unhappiness. I realized that by stressing myself out, there was a risk of repeating history.

I took it upon myself to encourage not only myself, my mate, and my friends, but all of you to try to remember not to stress. The holidays are hectic, but don't forget what they truly are. No matter what faith, what you celebrate, remember, a celebration is a happy time. A time to make new memories. Not to say, I got the best gift, we had the most prepared feast, opened the most presents, but instead to be able to say....I got nothing, but I had the best MEMORY of all.

Don't forget to give, don't forget to love, don't forget to be thankful, and don't forget to relax and have a good time. There are things more important than worrying if you are ten minutes late to dinner, bought the wrong present, or even weren't able to give someone a present. Give them more than something made, store bought, or last minute.

Give them yourself, in your best spirit.

Happy Holidays, and Blessed Be.
-Kitsune