As we all begin recovering from our Thanksgiving feasts, and possibly a Black Friday shopping trip or two, I thought today I'd take a step back and reflect on what's truly important in life this Holiday season.
In this Christmas season it can be so easy to forget about what's important in life and start to get caught up in all the consumerism that is so rampant in today in our culture.
So while we move into December and start to focus on our upcoming Christmas gatherings, what can we do to have a happy holiday?
Appreciate Your Blessings
I was reading a post over at Money Talks News where Stacy Johnson was talking about his Thanksgiving wish for everyone (more on that later). In the article he quoted Bob Lotich of ChristianPF.com, who when asked for his best frugal tip responded in essence to “appreciate what you have and enjoy it“.
We live in a time where we all have so many cool things that we didn't have even 100 years ago. Things like tablet computers, GPS, wireless phones and airplanes. Still, we can't keep ourselves from complaining. Reminds me of a comedian Louis CK on Conan O'Brien a while back and his rant that “everything's amazing, and nobody's happy!”:
Instead of complaining about why we don't have the things we want and why things aren't working the way we had hoped, why not try this instead:
Just be thankful for all of the blessings – material, spiritual and relational – that we do have?
Focus On What's important
So while I may not have the extra money this holiday season to go out and buy an iPad, at least I already have a working desktop and laptop that work great still! And while my home value may have dropped 70k in the last few years and I don't have enough for a down payment on a new home – at least I have a nice home and a job, and a family that loves me.
The Christmas season should be a reminder of the things that are important in our lives – our faith, our family and friends, and giving to others who haven't been as blessed as we are.
Earlier I mentioned I said I would get back to what Stacy Johson's Thanksgiving wish was for everyone, and I think it applies not only to Thanksgiving, but to Christmas and all year round!
Shop till you drop, but remember that when you’re on your deathbed, you won’t be remembering the things you had, you’ll be remembering the times you had. So as often as you possibly can, surround yourself with the people you love and savor those moments.
Ok, maybe the shop til you drop part of it doesn't apply all year round, but the rest of it does.
Be with the ones you love, appreciate what you have and just enjoy!
What an awesome post! That Louis CK clip is one of my all-time favorite anythings. Very cool.
We can’t get enough of these reminders of what’s most important. Good job!
Capitalism (the free market) gave you everything you are grateful for.