Caught up in the holiday shopping, again? Stop! Take a deep breathe and take a moment to think of 3 things you are grateful for.
Ok, now that that’s out the way let’s talk about the real reason we celebrate the holidays: so you can actually spend quality time with your family!
Spending quality time with your family looks very different than your neighbors. Heck, it may even look different between you and another family member! Your family may be the one that prefers the movie night in while others enjoy a day out at a park. Coming from a Hispanic family our quality time was defined by eating, dancing, talking, and more eating.
It’s not about what your family does during the holidays that matters but that you take the time to have uninterrupted and meaningful moments with the ones you love.
Growing up I had (and thankfully have) a very loving yet dysfunctional family. Spending family time was something my mother instilled in us. Seriously, I can’t remember my mother ever giving my siblings and I a choice of whether or not we wanted to attend a family gathering. We either attended or … attended! There was no excuse!
As a kid, this sucked sometimes. But as an adult, it taught me that by spending quality time together we have built a strong foundation to allow our family to open our home to those who didn’t have family around. We invite friends, colleagues, and even our bosses over to share the comfort of being surrounded by love and support during the holidays. Not all of us are grateful enough to live close to our family members or have the funds to fly home.
I share this story to bring light of letting go of the materialism and focus on what actually matters: spending quality time with loved ones!
Open your doors to those around you without families close by. Enjoy time spent with your parents, siblings, or friends before it’s too late. Feel the emotions of happiness and laughter while being surrounded by the ones you love. And most importantly, appreciate the support you have from whoever you consider family and hold on to that feeling throughout the year. The holidays are not about just opening presents but about creating new memories together.
Bloom Sooner wishes you and your family a very happy and safe holiday!