The holiday season is chaotic. There’s this ridiculous amount of pressure on everyone to show how much they love their loved ones by giving them big and expensive gifts or performing big romantic gestures like they see in their favorite cheesy holiday rom coms. There’s this entire hustle from the start of November, especially on Black Friday and all the way until Christmas, to get all the right gifts for everyone.
And honestly, over the years, I’ve started understanding more and more why my parents always insisted we make time for extended family over anything else each holiday season. As someone who moved provinces at an early age and is used to seeing family only a few times per year, that time was, and is, sacred. Family and friends, and spending quality time with them, and also with myself, is mostly all I’m looking forward to now each holiday season. I’m so grateful for them and the way I was raised to appreciate all the little things in life. So, I thought I’d write down a list of things I’m grateful for this holiday season, maybe to encourage you to reflect on what you’re grateful for too!
- Spending Quality Time with My Loved Ones
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I love making time to hang out with my family and friends during the holidays. But I don’t just want to spend time with them, I want to spend quality time with them. That said, I value having long conversations where we all catch up with each other and make room for everyone to express their frustrations, their reflections, their successes, their goals for the new year and so forth. I enjoy playing board games like Risk, card games like Trou de cul, Beigne, 200, Cards Against Humanity, Monopoly, and the list goes on. I love watching holiday movies with my parents too, either French or English, old or new. As long as we’re by the fireplace and our dog is with us, I’m happy. And those new movies that come out in theatres during the holidays are always the best.
- Spending Quality Time With Myself
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Among the chaos of the holidays and especially as an introvert, there’s nothing I cherish more than making time to unwind or relax by myself. Whether I’m listening to music and reading, writing by myself, listening to a podcast, watching a movie or even going on a long walk, I really appreciate those moments by myself. They’re when I feel most connected to myself and most at peace, which I think is what the holidays are all about. So if you haven’t planned any down time for yourself over the holidays, consider adding some slots into your calendar.
- Winter Sports
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I love the holidays for the opportunity they give me to practice the winter sports I otherwise don’t have time for. That includes ice skating on homemade ice rinks outside or nicer ones inside, downhill skiing, snowshoeing or sledding alone or as a family. Having a good hot chocolate after any of those activities always feels better and almost more well-deserved than just having it on its own. Please have some hot chocolates and whatever else you love to eat or drink on me this holiday season! When you come back home, your cheeks flushed, your extremities frozen and your body sore, and you know you can go sit under a warm blanket, and you’ll eat soon – that’s the best feeling in the world.
- Time Off
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I’m so grateful for the time we’re allotted to take a break or just have some time off. It feels, for a lot of us, like the first time we can actually take a breath and not beat ourselves up about everything we should be doing instead. No one’s expecting you to be as productive during the holidays — though they definitely do before and after. Sometimes we end up feeling burnt out when it’s finally time for a break, and are too exhausted to do any of the things we’d said we’d finally be able to do when you had time. Regardless of how much time off you do or don’t have, please take a second to enjoy it, and remind yourself why both your body and mind are deserving of a break. Perhaps, you’ll reconsider how you organize your time when you’re not on break.
- My Youth
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I tend to compare myself to how I was the day, the month or year before and since my 16th birthday. I feel like I’ve dreaded my birthday and this idea of becoming old. But the truth is I’m still very young, and I’ve got my whole life in front of me. That is such a privilege. I have time to try out new things, have new experiences, and keep on discovering new facets of myself and the world around me. However, those who are older than me in my family often seem to be younger than me in the way they act. It’s made me realize how youth has so little to do with actual age. Youth is a way of being and I see it from a very positive point of view. You’re excited and curious about the world, and see things in a relatively positive lens.
- My Health
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Especially with the last two years we’ve had, if you’re in a position where you’re relatively healthy, you should take a moment to thank your lucky stars. The same goes for the loved ones around you who are well. I wish you all a healthy year and life, and please be mindful of it and of your loved ones as the pandemic goes on with new variants.
These are only some of the things I’m grateful for this holiday season. If there’s anything you’re grateful for, maybe consider making a list yourself. If you’re grateful for certain people in your life, consider telling them. I’m sure it’ll make their day and yours too. Have a happy, healthy and joyous holiday season.