An
Early Remedy for Holiday Sadness
There
are times when we look forward to the holidays with eagerness
and excitement, and there are times when we find ourselves dreading
their arrival. It may be that we are alone and holidays only intensify
that reality. It may be that we are so busy we cannot imagine
finding the time for holiday preparations. It may be that we have
had experiences of past holidays that have left us feeling scratched
and marred. Or we are unable to compete with the financial demands
of holiday expectations. Perhaps family is far away, and we will
have no way to experience anew the warmth and coziness that holidays
brought us in the past.
Every
year we hear of new ways to deal with the depression so common
during the holiday season, and yet every year we find ourselves
struggling with the same feelings we’ve had before.
This
year try taking a walk back in time to the 14th Century, when
the word holiday—halidaeg in Old English—meant
holy day. In Medieval times, a holiday was understood to be a
religious festival. Like the Sabbath it was to be a day of recreation.
By the 16th Century, the pronunciation and sense of the word had
changed and become more secularized.
Imagine
how you might create a holy day—a day of recreation—for
yourself. Would it be quiet or lively? Would you read or play
golf? Would you eat in or eat out? Would you be with people or
alone? Would you take walks or sleep? Would you go to church or
pray at home? Would you listen to music or want to be in silence?
Instead
of dreading the holidays this year, why not create your own
holy day—day of Sabbath, of recreation? Don’t
wait until the holidays are upon you. Begin creating your day
now. You might just find that giving yourself permission to plan
your day will dispel depression and make your heart feel light
with joy.
Tip to try:
Plan for your 14th Century holidaeg by keeping an Enjoyment
Envelope.
Keep a small stack of 3x5 cards handy. When you notice that you
are enjoying something or someone, or looking forward to something,
or longing for some special food or drink, write it down on one
of the cards and place it in the envelope. Before the holidays
arrive, take an hour to plan out how you will spend the upcoming
day. Use the cards in the enjoyment envelope to help you design
your special day.
