This year has tested us all in every possible way, and what each person looks to this holiday season for is as varied as people are. For some, it’s a way to mark the year’s conclusion, for others, it’s a moment to celebrate life, or to recharge and reset for another trip around the sun.
Whether you celebrate Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, Christmas or Hanukkah, Festivus for the rest of us, or are looking forward to Lunar New Year next month, it’s likely this year’s celebrations will be different from ones you’ve enjoyed in the past. Loneliness and isolation can be thrown into stark relief around the holidays, as can money stress. We hope that everyone reading this is giving themselves and their loved ones permission to listen to their hearts and manage expectations. The presents may be fewer, the gatherings virtual, but one thing that doesn’t have to change is the love.
You can always find ways to show someone that you love them. And in this year of sadness and upheaval, we at Bliss would love to encourage you to show that love. Send a card even if it will arrive “late”. Make a phone call even if it’s been too long since the last one. Put a sign in your window wishing peace to all of your neighbors, and don’t worry about your hand-writing. Do something unexpected and thoughtful for your partner. Snuggle your pets for extra time and give them a few extra treats.
Want to take it further? Organize a food drive for your local food pantry, or a coat drive for your local homeless shelter, or, even easier, donate to an existing drive. Find a wishlist on a nonprofit’s website and send them a few items. Write a few thinking of you cards to residents in nursing homes or prisons. Look for the helpers and give them a hand.
(video source: Animal Planet on Youtube)
