Dear editor,
Black Friday has been the official kickoff to the holiday season since 1932. Our tummies are still full of turkey when we map out the best route to capture all the great treasures. With the precision of the Blue Angels, we depart on our mission at 0 dark 30 with battle plans in hand.
That's all I know about Black Friday shopping. I have only seen the preparation. The execution is still a puzzle, but to some, it's an important tradition. On Black Friday, you would have found me curled up with a good book and my pups. A glass of wine was in my future towards evening.
Isn't it funny how traditions are such a part of our holiday experience? The season may seem incomplete if we don't do the things that we have been doing year in and year out. Are we trying to recreate a Christmas past that was magical? If we do everything the same this year as we did that year, this one too, should be magical.
For some, the upcoming season will bring sadness for personal reasons; others because of the unrealistic expectations that time and finances won't allow. Regardless of who we are, what faith or non-faith, we all have those things we do to help us cope with the stress of the season.
There are 14 multicultural holidays that fall in December; think of all of that tradition packed into just one month. I really don't mind if someone says Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or Happy Holidays for that matter. The bottom line is that there is quite a bit to celebrate.
It warms my heart when I see people placing their packages in the Secret Santa boxes so needy and underprivileged children and families can enjoy the season, too. This time of year, I try to smile a little more and focus on offering random acts of kindness. You can smile all you wish; smiling is free and makes most people feel good. The random acts of kindness are usually free, as well; it just takes a moment of your time.
I would like to suggest that we take advantage of December’s wealth of celebrations. Celebrate people and embrace our differences. Being mindful of this will do wonders to help bring us together again. The election has opened a Pandora’s Box of hatred that we cannot afford to think is normal. There is nothing normal about racism, hatred, homophobia, xenophobia, sexual abuse and the list goes on. These things are not tradition and have no place to be in December or any month, for that matter.
I hope everyone enjoys their December filled with all of your traditions and joy. May you take a moment to offer love and kindness to those who struggle during this time. Give freely to those who are in need. Offer a gift to someone you don't know.
Let these things be your holiday present to yourself. I promise it will be magical.
SANDY HAUER
Milton
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Offer love, kindness this December