As I write this, we are approaching The Christmas & New Years Holidays. My writing is generally never holiday themed, but with the timing I feel it appropriate to wax festive this time around. For Many, Christmas is about family, and New Years about starting over.

We recognize family and friends by demonstrating our love through showering them with Gifts, and we approach the New Year with resolve to improve our lives going forward

For others, Christmas is about the religious message of renewal and new beginnings with the birth of the Savior sent by God to change the world (and that he did). We celebrate His birth and the message of hope and love his life embodied. Again, we shower our loved ones with gifts.

 Along with all this showering, most of us are moved to gratitude, and with that we lean toward compassion for those not as lucky as us and we become very charitable, altruistic and helpful.  The entire season from all perspectives is about GIVING.

 Now of course the children are excited about Santa and mostly looking forward to GETTING, but hey, someone must like it. Most of us respond to the receipt of a gift with: “You shouldn’t have!”, we may not mean it, (so, so many gifts are actually impractical and rarely used anyway, so perhaps they shouldn’t have), but the giver was moved to make the gesture we best not take that away. It seems, and this is more prevalent than not, that the joy of the season is never from the receipt of stuff, but from the giving of it.  In particular, the emotion behind the decision to give is what we are really impacted by.  Those that give to charities, along with the myriads of folk volunteering to help those organizations, all derive joy from the impact they have on the lives of others. This is truly the Spirit of Christmas. Not Black Friday, but the reason we endure the frenzy of it. 

I am not the first person to lament over why this spirit can’t be sustained year-round, but I have to say it once more: WHY CAN’T EVERYDAY BE CHRISTMAS?

Not the Trees, and ornaments, Lights and Stores, but the sentiment. This joy we glean from our actions (really from our intentions) is available 24/7- 365 should we maintain the perspective. I believe that this theme is the underlying purpose of life. Now being one that posts on FB, writes for this paper, and has a blog for over 13 years now, you would think I have shared this before. Probably everything I have ever written, or posted has had this underlying message. I wonder why most of humanity “Gets it” at Christmas then losses it shortly after. I would think that once that joy is felt, and associated to the intention, and action, that most would realize this is the correct path.  What is even more puzzling, is that one week after Christmas, the majority set out to make improvements in their lives by buying expensive exercise equipment, joining gyms, buying programs, having medical procedures, moving, changing jobs, spouses, friends, etc., in the hopes of experiencing a new found sense of joy, failing to realize, they just lived “THE WAY” from Thanksgiving to Christmas, with little to no effort.

There are some that embody this spirit year-round, they are the ones that always seem joyful and can be found doing much for many. I’d say God Bless them, but they already have been.  There are millions upon millions of books, programs, workshops, videos, centers, retreats, GURUS and products available to help all of those seeking the joyful way of life, and spend, spend, spend, they do. Usually to little or no avail. Perhaps someone should tell them to pay attention to what they are doing now. The REAL SECRET can be found in the GIFT OF GIVING.

You give to others and receive the GIFT OF JOY!

Merry Christmas