I’ve got a thing for the Christmas season. My usual routine is to start pulling out decorations the day after Thanksgiving. Lights, artificial trees, holiday motif tablecloths, napkins, dishtowels, bath towels, placemats, candles, photos, and lots of Santas. Holiday gloves, hats, slippers, tops, and sweaters. I read Christmas books, have a stack of holiday DVDS, and about 50 CDs of holiday music. We send cards, gifts, and up our community outreach. Over the top? Not for me. All that holiday cheer boosts what is usually a pretty positive mood to begin with.
Boost a Feeling of Happiness
So why not boost that feeling of the Christmas season when it’s not Christmas?
During this shelter-at-home period because of the horrid COVID virus, I need daily reminders that I can be happy. Every day we try to do things that will release some of those endorphins we need to keep healthy.
Four Christmas Ideas to Use Now
This email arrived in my mailbox soon after we started sheltering at home:
From one of my favorite holiday designers, Mark Roberts. “In this time of social distancing and high anxiety, hope ends when you stop believing and love ends when you stop caring. So let us continue to hope and love; it will Make Life Beautiful.” ~ Mark Roberts Christmas Magic. Thank you, Mark Roberts.
Last night around midnight I completed a 500-piece puzzle, “Father’s Christmas Train.” Extremely satisfying.
My husband suggested we “up” our community outreach now along with what we usually do in December. “OK, what about this one?” Drive Thru for Tucson’s Frontline. “Hill Bailey’s project on behalf of local businesses and hospital worker/first responders is still going. They’re up to over 300 donors and over $30,000. The goal is $45K. Every bit of the money donated goes to purchase take-out food at a local restaurant and that food is delivered to someone serving on the front lines.” https://www.gofundme.com/f/drive-thru-for-Tucson-frontline?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet
And my sister called me last night to share that some folks in her neighborhood have decorated their houses with white sparkly holiday lights.
“What a great idea.” I do like sparkly.
All good reminders that attitude adjusters are all around. I think I’ve got a Christmas angel.
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and the writing life. She’s retired from professional writing gigs after 30 years of teaching, coaching, editing, and gathering writers to publicly share their work. She is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. In retirement she’s writing to inspire, to connect with folks, and for the pure enjoyment of it.
