Wikipedia has taught me that a Holiday “is a day set aside by custom or by law. On which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended. Generally, holidays to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tradition. Holidays may be designated by governments, religious institutions, or other groups or organizations. The degree to which normal activities are reduced by a holiday may depend on local laws. Also the types of customs or the type of job being held by an individual or even personal choices.
The concept of holidays often originated in connection with religious observances. The intention of a holiday was to allow individuals to tend to religious duties. Duties associated with important dates on the calendar. In most modern societies, however, holidays serve as much of a recreational function as any other weekend days or activities.”
To sum up that, holidays are meant to give folks time for self-care and celebration so they didn’t use work hours to do it. Smart, really.
Here’s My Point
It’s not about office parties and gifts. Nor is it about tv specials or fundraisers. Those are all things you can choose to do, sure, but that’s not what it’s about. The holidays are about taking the time to recharge your batteries. No joke. Religious, Physical, Mental, or Emotional batteries – it doesn’t matter. The idea is to take the time to focus on you, rest restore, and return to work healthy and happy. People didn’t choose to start celebrating holidays because they were bored. It was a conscious decision by mankind to step away from the day to day and indulge. Indulgence, in measured doses, is damned good for the soul.
Why Reframing During the Holidays in Important
As human beings, we’ve come a long way from where we were. As commercialism emerged, the true meaning behind certain holidays becomes shrouded. It doesn’t help that marketing and advertising work very hard to ensure that it is. They want you to buy into the hype of the seasons so that you’ll buy more of their products. Though media also persuades us to act, look, and feel a certain way too. Urges us to behave in the way that society as a whole has deemed ideal. You know what that causes? Discontent. Always seeing the perfect versions of what we’re brainwashed to believe. For many, it highlights what “everyone” else has. Thereby emphasizing what the individual does not.Reframing the Holidays Protects You
In order to reframe the holidays, we have to both understand what it’s intended for and what it’s not. It’s intended to provide a break from daily chores and work to restore your yourself. Everything else is extra/superfluous. I’m going to give you a handy checklist to help you determine what activities you can engage in under your redefined holidays. You should only engage in the activities that meet one or more of the below qualifications:- Makes You Happy
- Improve Physical Health
- Recharges Spiritual/Metaphysical Being
- Lends to Rest and/or Relation
ARE YOU MAD?!
I assure you that I am not insane. That fact is, if you want to honor the holidays as intended, you need to honor yourself and well-being. It doesn’t matter what others have to say about it really. You need to take the time to rest and recharge, IN YOUR OWN WAY. For some, this means grand social celebrations and traditions. Some folks really thrive on this stuff and it’s totally cool. You wanna go all out for Christmas, have at it! Others like myself, the holidays need to enjoyed differently. Sure, I’ll put up my Christmas tree, and send a few gifts. I won’t put myself out. I’ve learned I’m happier at home enjoying a quiet evening and good meals with a select handful. Sometimes this upsets family members and friends who exist in the first group. That’s OKAY. Part of reframing the holidays is accepting that it’s about you. It’s your time. Do the things that make you happy. Celebrate with the people that fill your heart with joy. Give the gifts that move you. Help others to help yourself. Find the empty part of your soul and fill them. Do that and you’ve reframed your holidays to be the best they can be. That’s plain smart right there.A Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Sassy Lasses Team!
As part of OUR self-care, we’re shutting down for a little R&R. We’ll be back with the next post in the series on December 29th!
PS: Make sure to sign up for our email list below too, and I’ll send you the rest of this series as they drop!)
PPS: In case you missed them, here are the previous pieces in this series!
How To Reframe Failure: You Can’t Fail if you Don’t Quit.
How to Reframe Fear; Are You Scared or Just Unsure?
How to Reframe Success; It’s Not Them, It’s You
How to Reframe Perfection: Fiction Not Fact
How to Reframe Wealth: 3 Pillars of True Wealth
How to Reframe Time: I’ve got 99 Problems but Time Isn’t One
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