The Christmas season means many different things to many different people. It can be a hectic, chaotic time – life is busier and more expensive. During this time of year, life can also be more beautiful and brilliant!
Not to forget, there are countless people out there for whom Christmas can be a sad or even lonely time. It is during this time of year that it becomes more important than ever that we care for and include these people in the warmth we enjoy and create in our own Christmas celebrations.
The simple pleasures are what make Christmas such an enjoyable time of year. So, strip back the chaos and extravagance of the festive season for a moment and let us remind ourselves of the true meaning of Christmas cheer!
- Begin With Gratitude
It can be all too easy to get swept up in the excitement of the gifts and scrumptious foods that we enjoy on Christmas Day that we actually forget to take stock of how truly lucky we are; and how much we have enjoyed over the past year.
So, before you begin to tear into your gifts, take a moment to reflect on all that you are grateful for in your life. Your loved ones, your warm home, the food in your belly – an attitude of gratitude will magnify the joy you feel on Christmas day and help to remind you of how precious times like these truly are.
- Remember That ‘Family’ Means Friends, Too!
Not everybody can be at home for Christmas, but that doesn’t mean that they cannot celebrate with their own ‘alternative’ family. Whether you are travelling, away for work, in the army or simply have no near-by relatives; Christmas is about connecting with others to celebrate as part of a collective.
So, be it with your neighbours, friends, volunteering or with others that you know will be alone too this Christmas – reach out to the people around you. At Christmas, the word ‘family’ should be used loosely. It is during these special times such as Christmas, that we are all a family – united in our celebrations!
- Release Expectations
Go easy on yourself this Christmas! If you are having friends or family round this Christmas, or are responsible for cooking dinner, try to let go of your expectations for ‘perfection’.
During important times of the year, it can be all too easy to get stressed and heated up about getting everything ‘just right’ – but this attitude will only dampen your Christmas experience. Things don’t always go to plan – but it is these little mishaps and eccentricities that will help to make your Christmas all the more memorable.
- Help Others
For a lot of people, Christmas is a day for lavish pampering, quality time spent with loved ones and a full, satisfied belly. However, this is not always the case for everybody at Christmas.
Because of this, it is the responsibility of the fortunate to not forget the not-so-fortunate during these times of holiday celebration. Making it our responsibility to contribute in whatever way that we can to include everybody in the festive season.
Send Christmas cards to soldiers abroad, hold a canned food drive for the elderly, deliver Christmas cakes to your nearby hospital. There is nothing quite like the feeling of having helped to do some good in the lives of others at Christmas time – so be sure to show your appreciation for others this Christmas.
- Celebrate!
Laugh, love, connect, eat, dance, sing – be sure to live every moment of this Christmas to the fullest! Be grateful for all of your loved ones, both present and absent. Let yourself be swept up in the collective excitement of this extraordinary time of year and most importantly of all –relax. Take well-deserved time out to do the things that you enjoy doing and soak up the experiences of your past year.
Will this be your best Christmas yet? We certainly hope so.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!
Source: http://www.thelawofattraction.com/5-ways-to-make-this-your-best-christmas-ever/
The helping others part is very important but don’t just do it during the holidays. Do it all the time throughout the year. The soup kitchen is filled with volunteers during this time but rest of the year they are left without any volunteers.