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How to Enjoy Your Holidays without Going to a HomeBy Rachael Brownell |
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Nothing says “dream on about having any time ‘off’, sucker” like the holidays. The perfect storm of in-laws, family, food preparation, alcohol, simmering resentment and lead-filled statuary, Thanksgiving and Christmas (or Xmas, if you prefer) test even the most Let’s assume one can muster up the proper gratitude and excitement about the funny big man in the red suit who likes to leave toys under trees for well-behaved little folks (hopefully made from 100% organic spiritually sound wood -- the toys, not the people) while simultaneously inculcating the values of selflessness and anti-materialism we admire but so rarely actually practice. How can one enjoy all the fun of having kids during celebratory times when there is too much to do and so little time to do it in… ? Far be it from me to have much to offer on this subject except the usual smart-assery and hope in a bottle philosophy, but there are a few little things that really seem to help.
Gratitude is a word that used to make me break out in hives. It made me feel like Oprah was my higher power or that I was next going to rush to the grocery store and tell perfect strangers all about my feeling while sifting through the tomatoes… In short, it was too trivial, too self-help-y for a complicated woman such as myself. But the rub is this… when I take even 30 seconds to make myself feel grateful -- even fake grateful -- it really does help me appreciate my life -- my children, my husband, my effed up but high-spirited and big-hearted family. So this holiday season I’m going to try a few new things… I’m going to fix the whole dinner for Thanksgiving, not lay into the wine like I am a camel in the midst of a Saharan trek to freedom, and try to feel grateful. Even for a minute. | ||
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