By Annie Milionis, Penn State Master Gardener and Master Watershed Steward, Morrisville Bird Town PA Coordinator
The holidays of light and giving are upon us! The question is how to make the most of this precious time in meaningful, productive and enriching ways!
All things in moderation can be a healthy and good way to approach the holiday season. This can apply to expectations, gift buying and giving, indulging in parties, food and drink, time spent in preparation, and focus of attention.
It is important to be realistic and organized. For years the trend seems to be to go bigger and better with each passing year, outdoing each previous year in the amount of decorating, size and type of gifts, parties, etc. This trend only seems to lead to more pressure and stress and is not sustainable; not for us as individuals, families, or as a planet!
It also takes the focus away from the real meanings of the holidays – a time to give of ourselves, a time to celebrate, and the greatest gifts of all- love of family, humankind and the natural world around us!
The ability to change is one of our greatest capabilities and is an evitability in this world so let us embrace it by making some changes in how we celebrate the holidays!
Let’s spend more time together with family and/or friends in acts of giving! Let’s participate in cooking and baking together, having all members of the household participate in various aspects of holiday meal preparation, from planning, executing, to sitting at the table and sharing the food together!
Include everyone in making a hand-crafted item, decorating the home, tree, tabletops, or other areas in whatever tradition or faith applies to your family.
Make your presents for one another; commit to smaller personal presents or instead of buying presents for one another, consider making shared memories together by experiencing events together such as concerts and theater shows or by participating in a holiday food or clothing drive and distribution as a family.
Get everyone together to discuss and select gifts to give to a local charity, not just in money and items needed, but more importantly in the gift of your time. Look for local and meaningful ways to participate in giving! Check with your local churches, places of worship, food pantries, senior service centers, assisted living centers, nursing homes, or other local agencies or organizations about holiday meal packaging and distribution events. Then show up as a family to help.
Look for clothing and toy drives that allow you to participate in giving and distributing items. Contact your local Environmental Advisory Council, nature center or other environmental group to see about donating, planting and maintaining a native tree or shrub in a local park or open space area or in some other manner.
Commit to an area clean-up, planting, or refresh work in a local park, open space or preserved area. If you love animals, check with the Friends group of your local dog park, animal rescue or wildlife rehabilitation center to volunteer or donate some time and money.
Share in a family gift in which all family members can participate; build together a bird feeding station, a picnic or gaming area in your yard, a vegetable and /or fruit gardening area, etc. They don’t have to be fancy or expensive. Just be creative! Pool the money you all would have spent on individual presents and put it toward a family project or toward giving to the charity or place of your agreed upon choice.
Include others. Invite a friend, co-worker or neighbor to join you for your holiday meal, particularly if the person is without family or other friends at this time of year.
The words “love” and “give” are verbs, words of action, and the more you can love and give, the more you’ll make positive differences to people’s lives and the world around you, and in exchange, the more you’ll receive in your heart and in your soul!
Happy Holidays!