At a holiday concert over the weekend, a woman and I somehow ended up talking about the television show and soap opera, General Hospital.
She and I laughed and connected over all the memories we held of these characters – their personalities and the things that they did. How some characters were still on the air some 30 years later! During those few moments, that unexpected kinship and wonderful jaunt down memory lane made the whole concert experience much more enjoyable.
Whether we realize it or not, especially during the holidays, there is comfort in finding and holding onto what is familiar to us.
Words like tradition, legacy, and familiarity (coming home) pull us into doing things that we have done over and over. And those elements, whether it is a cozy pair of pajamas that you always wear on Christmas morning, annual events that you plan or attend, or even actually coming home or going home, all add to your sense of the holidays.
Or Annualize Something New
But there will be times in your life where you will have to create your own traditions. We have lived in cities with no family around and it was up to us to start something from scratch. Annual traditions all start somewhere and as I said in my last blog, they can begin at any age!
It feels strange at first, but you shouldn’t be afraid to do it. Reach out to people and set up an annual holiday lunch/dinner/outing. Go see a show together, walk around lights in your neighborhood, or visit holiday lights somewhere else, or volunteer somewhere as a team. It doesn’t have to be complicated… it just has to be something you want to do and can look forward to doing next year. And even doing an activity alone will still give you comfort when you do it again next year!
Because just like my memories about General Hospital, a memory is a treasure, and no matter how you can remember it or re-live it every year, whether in the company of others or by yourself, it is still a treasure. Do something special this year that brings the spirit of the holidays into your heart and becomes a memory to treasure… and then, add hot chocolate to make it perfect! Happy Holidays!