Live Your Life Be Free!

Christmas, as we know, is a religious holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. But, most people I know who celebrate Christmas are not doing it for the religious meaning. Instead they have their own reasons… they want to use it as a chance to spend time with their loved ones and enjoy the spirit of giving in the air.

The malls are a-buzz with the Christmas spirit. Wal Mart is now open 24 hours and I heard that even at 7:00 am the lines are crazy (at the Barrie, Ontario location at least). If Christmas is all about love and togetherness, why are presents front and center? Why do we have to express love through an object? It makes a lot of sense for the kids, since they cannot buy their own presents… but for most of us adults, if we really want something we will just go out and buy it. It is nice for people to give gifts, but instead of waiting in long lines for mass-produced gifts-to-be, why can’t we spend our time and energy with the people that we love expressing it?

If you think about it, expressing love through an object is not that efficient. Imagine that you buy your boyfriend a cell phone. You put love into thinking about the present. Then you put love into the time it takes to buy the present and the money it took to buy it. Then you wrap it with care. When he opens it on Christmas morning, what happens if he doesn’t want it or like it? All of your love that you put into the gift was for nothing.

My advice for the holidays is to "love direct" and spend time connecting directly with the people you love instead of connecting through an object. That way you can skip the "middle man" and feel the tenderness that is part of the season.

Does this advice sound unrealistic to you? If yes, you can conclude that Christmas is NOT only about family and the spirit. It IS about the presents – for the adults as well! So, have a merry Christmas, and reflect on the "true" meaning as you work through your pile of presents.