I’ve discovered that my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, because you’re not expected to get anyone gifts, there’s a lot of delicious food, and you can interrogate your extended family as to what they are going to want or need come Christmas-time.
I think the most stressful thing of all is getting a gift for everyone close to you, and sometimes it doesn’t end there. Sometimes you’re expected to get gifts for extended family, people you don’t even know that well. Sometimes all you know about them is their relationship status and what they do for a living. I’m referring to my aunts and uncles. How can I get a gift for someone I barely know? I could get them anything generic like candles, or nice soaps, or food… But that’s not a gift. That’s a present. That’s an impersonal present for an impersonal person. Christmas is just too stressful for everybody, and that’s not what it’s about. It’s supposed to be about peace and enjoying the company of those you care about.
Soul Song Reflections 