Choose Happiness This Holiday Season

Happy Holiday


Choose Happiness This Holiday Season

This year has been a tumultuous year for our country. There have been upsets in elections, hurricanes and protests. As we head into the holiday season, I hope we can all turn a page on the things we don’t have in common and focus on being happy. So many people DREAD the holidays! There are many reasons such as; extra work, shopping, cooking, entertaining, family obligations and let’s not forget strife. Family strife comes in all shapes and sizes just like the ghosts of Christmas’s past and it can rob you of a happy and joyous holiday season.

This year let’s set aside the strife and focus on harmony, happiness and being kinder to one another. The holiday’s are about family, friendship and spending time together. If you’re travelling this year, bring your patience and try smiling at the people you meet. By keeping a positive attitude you can elevate stress and make someone else’s day.

Positivity outweighs negativity five to one, conversely negativity sucks the life out of relationships. Lucky for us we get to choose our attitude. Here are some other notable stress buster to keep you in your happy place;

  • Keep an exercise routine, don’t overeat, and plan ahead. I love to go for a nice walk on Christmas morning once the turkey’s in and cooking. Remember that just because there is a huge meal on the table there is no need to overindulge.
  • If shopping fills you with anxiety try drawing names or giving everyone gift cards. People really like to buy their own gifts anyway.
  • If baking or extra cooking puts you in a bad mood, try a cookie exchange or catering a meal. Last year, I made two-three dozen cookies and I ended up with 6-7 different types with an exchange group.

Let happiness rule your holiday season, trust me it will be contagious. May Peace and Harmony be with you this season and in the New Year!

Jodi Cross is a marketing strategist, writer and blogger. She can be reached at jcross@crossnm.com.

 


T’was The Night Before Christmas

T’was The Night Before Christmas

By: Jodi Cross

T‘was the night before Christmas last year and I was at my Niece Tammy’s house. Her two young son’s Jacob and Joshua were a buzz with delight in anticipation of Santa Clause. Jacob is 5 and Joshua 3, they were told that when my husband and I got there they could open one present. Needless to say, they were delighted to see us and they ran to the pile and pulled out a gift.


Suddenly, Jacob remembered that he had to feed the rain deer. We prepared some snacks including carrots that he found in the back of the refrigerator and put them in the back yard. Jacob and I talked about what he was expecting and if he was good this year and he proudly protested, “I’ve been really good”! I could just feel his excitement and imagination running wild. What a delight it was for me at that moment as I flashed back to the many childhood Christmas’s I had. Bikes mysteriously assembled under the tree on Christmas morning, stockings hung with care stuffed the to brim with goodies. Jacob’s energy was intoxicating. It reminded me that Christmas is all about maintaining that childhood feeling of wonder and pure joy. You remember don’t you? The kind you had before life got complicated and you grew up.


I must confess…I still get a stocking on Christmas morning when I am at my parents’ house. It isn’t one of those new fancy stockings it is an old red felt stocking with an angel and my name on it. All my siblings make fun of me but I think they are just jealous. Each year my mother protests and tries to send the stocking packing in my luggage to Florida but I manage to tuck it back into the Christmas box for another year. As I wake up on Christmas morning I recapture that childhood feeling of anticipation and know it will be waiting for me right by the fire place.

Happy Holiday’s and my all of you embrace your inner child this holiday season!