‘Tis the season to be busy

Ah, the holidays. If you celebrate Christmas, chances are, you both look forward to AND dread December.

On the one hand there’s the magic of the season: the colours, the glitter, the decorations, the baked goodies...!

But on the other hand, there’s the extra social demands on your family’s calendar; added pressure to spend time with every relative; if you have young children, you probably have additional holiday celebrations at school with them.

For a while now, all this talk of being “so busy” has started to get on my nerves. And when it comes to the Christmas holiday season, all I hear is how “super busy” how “INSANELY BUSY!” everyone is.

Maybe I’m having a neurological event, but how can everyone be SO BUSY SO MUCH of the time?

Before you get the pitchfork and torches out, hear me out:

As I understand it, the Christmas holiday is a special time of the year, a time for friends and family. So when I hear people say they “have to” spend time with their second cousin-twice-removed and his band of maladjusted teenagers, I have to question that decision. 

I can literally hear you saying:

“But Loreto! It’s Christmas! and it’s a social obligation I simply can’t get out of!”

And my response to that is:

What is it about Christmas and Thanksgiving that brings out the guilt in people?

Why do so many folks feel the need to spend time with relatives they don’t enjoy and very (very) seldom see? Or colleagues they don’t enjoy being around?

Now, there’s a chance you’re thinking I’m some kind of frozen-hearted harpy who barricades herself at home come December 1. But nothing could be futher from the truth. I already have a bunch of social events planned for December. And I can’t wait.

A while back I read an amazing book called Essentialism by Greg McKeown. Mr. McKeown proposed the radical notion of making lists and prioritizing the events, things and even people in our lives. And I took it to heart. I decided to spend time with people I truly love and want to surround myself with. People I can’t do without.

That leads me to “social obligations.”

I can hear you saying:

“But Loreto, we HAVE to go visit second-uncle Roy and his third wife Mildred. They’re FAMILY!”

And this holiday season I’m going to challenge you big time to examine the connections in your life. Are those connections alive purely out of guilt, or do you truly enjoy their company?

After I reached my 50th birthday I realized my time on this earth is limited. And I don’t intend on spending it with people who

• suck the joy out of any occasion
• don’t add any positives to my life
• make it awkward for me to be myself
• force me to “be on my best behaviour” just so they feel comfortable.

This holiday season I challenge you to fill your calendar with events that will make you happy. That will leave you recharged, happy, glad you spent those 2 hours together. Not emotionally drained and racing home to the tequila.

Christmas is a very special time for me. And as I have mentioned once or twice, the people in my life are my priority. That’s why I choose carefully who I spend time with. And when I’m with them, it’s a 100% commitment.

I hope I’ve given you some food for thought, and that you’ll have a fantastic holiday season. With people you look forward to seeing. 

Happy Holidays.