Holiday traditions

  • Christmas,  Holiday traditions,  Oakland Press columns

    Unwrapping the stress of holiday giving

    “Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Gift-giving can be as emotionally loaded as it is enjoyable — especially as we approach the Christmas season. As psychologists and etiquette experts agree, the stress of buying and exchanging gifts can dull our holiday sparkle if we don’t plan ahead. “Some people may feel social pressures to give gifts, but not in the same spirit as others,” says Irene S. Levine, PhD, psychologist and co-author of The Rules of Friendship. “If someone is depressed, for example, it might be particularly difficult to enjoy the spirit of the holidays.” The high expectations tied…

  • Halloween,  Holiday traditions

    Happy Halloween!

    “There is a child in every one of us who is still a trick-or-treater looking for a brightly-lit front porch.” ~Robert Brault The practice of trick-or-treating actually began a few hundred years ago in Europe as an All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) tradition. The less fortunate would visit the homes of wealthier families and receive pastries known as “soul cakes” in exchange for a promise to pray for the souls of the homeowners’ deceased relatives. The tradition was called souling and was later adopted by children. In Scotland and Ireland — where many of today’s Halloween traditions began — children and young adults disguised themselves in costumes and asked for small…

  • Change,  Holiday traditions,  Seasons

    Winter Solstice

    “This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight, the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath.” ~Margaret Atwood Today, December 21st, is the Winter Solstice. The Farmer’s Almanac describes it as “the astronomical moment when the sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn, and we have our shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.” No matter where you live, the solstice marks the official start of winter. While it seems counterintuitive, the longest night of the year also holds a glimmer of hope: Each day afterward will be…

  • Christmas,  Health & wellbeing,  Holiday traditions,  Home & Family

    More stuff?

    “Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.” ~Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up We spend the month of December buying and accumulating …. more stuff. Why? Because our Christmas tradition requires that we encircle a tree with all sorts of things that ultimately end up getting stuffed in a drawer or stashed on a shelf that’s already loaded with … more stuff! Oh, the irony. Come January, when the buying spree stops and the decorations come down, everyone will complain about the dearth…

  • Arts & crafts,  Christmas,  Holiday traditions

    Christmas cards

    “There’s nothing nicer than unexpected appreciation. If you’re grateful, get a pen.” ~Helen Ellis Some people tell me they don’t bother writing or mailing Christmas cards anymore. Social media is an easier way to send greetings without paper, ink, or postage. (I’ll admit there were years when I got lazy and mailed cards only to those who sent one to me.) The pandemic totally changed my mind. After months of isolation, I enjoyed reaching out to others through the mail — one of the few tangible ways I could. During lockdown, I also had extra time to make Christmas cards using my own photos, which I thoroughly enjoyed. More than…