(This was originally written for and posted at Dad-O-Matic and I am re-posting it here in honor of the holiday season we are now in the thick of..)
We are in that awkward time between Thanksgiving, and New Year’s, when the various “Holy Days” (a.k.a. Holidays) kick in. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, or some other seasonal ritual, one thing is certain, you will be inundated with the commercialism of the season. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, mauling at the mall, the pressure is on. Many folks, myself included, often feel overwhelmed this time of year, and easily fall into a funk. Before you acquiesce to the desire to shout “Bah Humbug” here are…
Five Reasons NOT To Be A Scrooge This Year:
1) You are breathing! ’Nuff said. You are alive. Don’t take it for granted! Carpe Diem and all that jazz!
2) If you are reading this blog, you have already discovered the Interwebs. They are amazing. You can find any information you can imagine flowing through this series of tubes called the Internet. Find something to make you smile. You can start here.
3) If you are reading this blog you may have kids. If you don’t, borrow some for an afternoon. Babysit for a neighbor or relative. Children are a joy and and a constant reminder of the bigger picture and what really matters. (Hint: It is NOT holiday shopping). Be thankful for your kids.
4) You made it! If you are already exploring your inner Scrooge, you likely did the same thing last year. Guess what? You still made it intact through the 2008 holidays and almost all of 2009 and you are no worse for the wear. In fact, if you are honest with yourself, last holiday season wasn’t really all that bad, and there are probably some things that happened during the year that made you happy and proud. (Hint: Look at your kids again!)
5) What the Dickens? It is up to YOU to choose how you want to approach the Holidays this year, and set the example for your kids. Why choose Scrooge when it is so much easier and more fun to choose to be thankful, helpful, reflective on the past and inspired for the future. Scrooge was a fictional character. He didn’t have a choice. You are real. You do!
So, what’s it gonna be? Scrooge? Bah humbug!
Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 21, Ethan, 19 and Olivia, 18). He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast. You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Dadomatic and Social Networking Rehab.
Photo Credit: © Willee Cole – Fotolia.com
