It's the holidays. Big deal.
You've never been a fan of the season. Honestly, you couldn't care less about carolling or tree trimming.
You roll your eyes when decorations come out in the stores before people have even shut off their air conditioners.
You don't understand how retail employees can handle the same 5 jingles pumped out of mall speakers on loop for weeks on end.
Why do you feel this way? Maybe holidays are a reminder of a bad childhood, or the commercialism of the season suffocates any potential you might have of genuine cheer. Or maybe you just aren't a very festive person by nature, and would prefer a quiet day off work with no excessive preparation or obligation.
The holidays aren't your jam, and you've been okay with that for a very long time.
Except now you have children, and something has changed. Despite your distaste for the holiday season, there's a part of you that really wants them to, well, love it.
You see friends and family throwing themselves wholeheartedly into the festivities, feeling joy and nostalgia year after year. You might not be able to relate, but you really want your kids to.
So how do you make your child's holiday magical when you're just not that into it?
First, dig into why holidays are special to the people around you. If you wade through the sparkly decorations and get down to the basics, it becomes pretty clear what the season is all about: togetherness. Regardless of religious beliefs or specific traditions, celebrating with the people we love is the universal highlight of the holidays for most folks.
If we want our children to embrace the essence of this time of year, making it about connection seems like a good place to start. Focus on connecting with family, friends and community, and you'll be sure to lay a solid foundation of the season for years to come.
Put the focus on giving. Commercialism is nearly impossible to avoid during this time of year. Ads are everywhere, from television to subway stations. If the excessive marketing is what turns you off most about the holidays, turn it on its head and teach your child about the importance of giving.
Create kits together for the homeless to drop off at a shelter. Get involved in making or delivering meals for the elderly through a local support program. Donate books to the library, or collect money for your child's favorite charity. Invite a lonely neighbour over for a holiday meal. There are so many ways to teach the spirit of giving and detract from the explosion of holiday advertising.
Create new family traditions. Maybe you're not a fan of caroling or holiday movies or that silly Santa game your relatives play every year. But that doesn't mean you can't introduce new traditions your family will love.
Don't enjoy the traditional turkey meal? Why not make a favourite pie or casserole? Don't want to watch It's a Wonderful Life? How about a favourite movie trilogy that isn't centered on the holidays whatsoever?
Traditions create nostalgia, which is what many of us appreciate most about the holiday season. "I remember when my family used to..." is a common beginning to someone's favourite holiday memory. But a family's traditions can be-and arguably should be-as unique as the people within it.
You don't have to be a big fan of the holidays to make it special for your children. Just focus on togetherness, helping others and creating seasonal magic for them in your own way.
But be careful: all those smiles on your children's faces could be contagious.
Happy holidays!
Image credit: "Children reading The Grinch" by scbailey - Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons
You've never been a fan of the season. Honestly, you couldn't care less about carolling or tree trimming.
You roll your eyes when decorations come out in the stores before people have even shut off their air conditioners.
You don't understand how retail employees can handle the same 5 jingles pumped out of mall speakers on loop for weeks on end.
Why do you feel this way? Maybe holidays are a reminder of a bad childhood, or the commercialism of the season suffocates any potential you might have of genuine cheer. Or maybe you just aren't a very festive person by nature, and would prefer a quiet day off work with no excessive preparation or obligation.
The holidays aren't your jam, and you've been okay with that for a very long time.
Except now you have children, and something has changed. Despite your distaste for the holiday season, there's a part of you that really wants them to, well, love it.
You see friends and family throwing themselves wholeheartedly into the festivities, feeling joy and nostalgia year after year. You might not be able to relate, but you really want your kids to.
So how do you make your child's holiday magical when you're just not that into it?
First, dig into why holidays are special to the people around you. If you wade through the sparkly decorations and get down to the basics, it becomes pretty clear what the season is all about: togetherness. Regardless of religious beliefs or specific traditions, celebrating with the people we love is the universal highlight of the holidays for most folks.
If we want our children to embrace the essence of this time of year, making it about connection seems like a good place to start. Focus on connecting with family, friends and community, and you'll be sure to lay a solid foundation of the season for years to come.
Put the focus on giving. Commercialism is nearly impossible to avoid during this time of year. Ads are everywhere, from television to subway stations. If the excessive marketing is what turns you off most about the holidays, turn it on its head and teach your child about the importance of giving.
Create kits together for the homeless to drop off at a shelter. Get involved in making or delivering meals for the elderly through a local support program. Donate books to the library, or collect money for your child's favorite charity. Invite a lonely neighbour over for a holiday meal. There are so many ways to teach the spirit of giving and detract from the explosion of holiday advertising.
Create new family traditions. Maybe you're not a fan of caroling or holiday movies or that silly Santa game your relatives play every year. But that doesn't mean you can't introduce new traditions your family will love.
Don't enjoy the traditional turkey meal? Why not make a favourite pie or casserole? Don't want to watch It's a Wonderful Life? How about a favourite movie trilogy that isn't centered on the holidays whatsoever?
Traditions create nostalgia, which is what many of us appreciate most about the holiday season. "I remember when my family used to..." is a common beginning to someone's favourite holiday memory. But a family's traditions can be-and arguably should be-as unique as the people within it.
You don't have to be a big fan of the holidays to make it special for your children. Just focus on togetherness, helping others and creating seasonal magic for them in your own way.
But be careful: all those smiles on your children's faces could be contagious.
Happy holidays!
Image credit: "Children reading The Grinch" by scbailey - Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons