Saturday, December 26, 2009

In the afterglow

The presents are all unwrapped. The remains of the feast are all packed away as leftovers. The Family begins thinking of home, wherever that may be. And now all eyes turn just one week away, when 2009 becomes 2010.

In the afterglow of Christmas, take the time to remember the real lessons of the season. No, I'm not going to go religious on you. I'm talking about the simple, human lessons we can all learn from a holiday in a recession.

* Bigger, flashier, and more expensive does not mean better. Sure, everyone likes the new big screen HDTV, but sometimes something simple, like a T-shirt from their favorite movie, and a book they've been wanting to read for a long time, can mean so much more.

* Just because something is used, doesn't mean it is junk. Best received gift I gave this year was an old, leatherbound copy of the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner I got off Ebay for twenty-something bucks.

* A gag gift can be a great way to show someone you care, as long as you follow up with a real one. Not every gift has to be serious. Giving the ultra-liberal a copy of Sarah Palin's book, or giving the ultra-feminist a subscription to Penthouse can get a good laugh from everyone, but follow it up with something they'll like, to soften the sting.

* Spending time with friends and family can be the best part of the holidays, as long as you have an escape. Family togetherness is a good thing. Having fun with the family and friends makes everything about the holiday better. But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. To keep the holiday craziness from overwhelming you, be sure to take a couple hours away from the family, and spend it on you. Watch TV, play some games, go for a drive, whatever. Just do something that lets you reboot, reload, and recharge, so you're ready to go for the next round of family fun.

No comments:

Post a Comment