Feeling Festive

I am happy to report that I have officially given up on accomplishing anything this week before heading home. The Christmas spirit is just too infectious to not take advantage of. All the bad environmental news today is even having a hard time swaying me from the pure bliss of listening to Michael Bublé croon out some Christmas carols and "helping" my girlfriend bake cookies.

The life of a university student often doesn't lend itself to fully enjoying December. Even the stubbornly young at heart, a group that most assuredly includes me, have a hard time feeling festive when there are exams to be studied for and papers to be written. And real, full-fledged grown ups? Forget about it. Most adults are so overwhelmed by stress that they don't have time to get swept up in Yuletide cheer. I was fortunate this year in that the people in charge of my program were merciful and let us all be done our work and free of academic commitments as of December 5th.

In the time since then I have slowly fallen back into the mindset I took for granted as a child. The care-free, present anticipating, sugar ingesting, ornament hanging, carol singing state that filled me with the courage to tear fearlessly down steep toboggan slopes and truly enjoy the holidays. I have really missed it and I'm glad I have been able to find my way back. As much I would like to believe that its possible to feel this way all year, the fact is there is something special about the month of December. Maybe its the Christmas lights, maybe its the hustle and bustle of the shopping malls, maybe its the clichéd Christmas movies that are on perpetual repeat; but if you open your mind up to being a kid again, its an easy goal to accomplish.

And why shouldn't we all take advantage of that? Its very rare that the society we live in invites us to let go of our worries for a few weeks and really enjoy everything we have. If you are reading this blog you are part of a very small segment of people who are lucky enough to have their needs met in such a way that they have time to relax. Its very easy to forget that when you're bogged down with work, and bills, and meetings. The ubiquitous joy and spirit of giving that are at the heart of the holidays are a great way to escape the madness.

So this December, try to get caught up in it. Take a couple weeks for yourself. Stop worrying about the woes of the world and the obstacles you face in your own life and spend time with family and friends like it is the most important thing you have to do. The whole reason we all work so hard is so we can have some happiness in our lives. We would be foolish not step back and enjoy it when we are being bombarded with it from every angle.

I love Christmas. I always have. I always will. I understand that it is hard for some of us to get into the holiday spirit, but it should be a priority. Go out and find it if you have to. Don't be stubborn. Because when you finally find that you are able to view the world through a set of rose-coloured glasses, if only for a short while, all the bad things in life seem not to matter as much.

Happy holidays/Merry Christmas!

-Steve

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