More than perhaps any holiday, New Year’s Eve involves being social. Will you celebrate with others, or at home alone?
Share why if you wish.
Month: December 2024
What Brought You The Most Enjoyment This Year?
As the year comes to a close, it is common to look back at the high points. What brought you the most enjoyment this year?
This last year (like any year) had some difficult moments. Ongoing wars, complete with atrocities, were hard to watch, yet equally difficult to look away from. The presidential election seemed to drag on forever. Natural disasters happened with alarming regularity. And so on.
When so many negative things happen, it can be tempting to focus solely on them. It was a bad year, you might say, because so many bad things happened.
However, that approach is short-sighted. While it is true that many bad things occurred, it is also true that many good things happened as well. Over the course of an entire year, it has to be the case that many things, good and bad, are bound to happen.
And remembering the good things is important! Even if — and maybe especially if — more bad things than good happen, it is necessary to remind yourself that there is good in the world.
Next year will be filled with both good and bad things, too. It very well may be the case that there will be more bad than good then, as well. In order to withstand an onslaught of bad news, a positive outlook, filled with hope, is essential. An excellent way to get a positive outlook is to think back on all the good things that happened.
With that in mind, what are your personal high points? What were our collective high points? What brought you the most enjoyment this year?
Related questions: Are you worried about the coming year? What news from the last year made you optimistic? Why don’t you know what makes you happy? Optimistic or pessimistic?
Drive Or Fly?
If you have to (or get to!) travel for the holidays, do you prefer to drive or to fly? Is one inherently better than the other?
Share why if you wish.
Do You Listen To Holiday Music?
Some people love holiday music; it puts them in the mood of the season. Others hate how repetitive the songs can be. Do you listen to holiday music?
Share why if you wish.
How Does Christmas Impact You?
The Christmas holiday has a huge cultural footprint, for Christians and non-Christians alike. How does it impact you?
For Christians, the Christmas holiday holds special significance as the birth of Jesus Christ. But for people who practice a different religion, or even no religion at all, December 25th is still a significant day.
Many of the trappings of Christmas, as it is celebrated today, have little to do with Christianity. For example, Santa Claus is mentioned nowhere in the Bible. In fact, many of the ways of celebrating the holiday are borrowed from other cultures. This includes the decorated tree, the giving of gifts to family members, Santa Claus, and other parts of today’s holiday.
Regardless of the origins, however, Christmas decorations start to appear in stores months in advance. Many towns decorate outdoor trees and shrubs with lights, usually starting in early December. Some may also have a town Christmas Tree with an official lighting ceremony.
Christmas music can be heard in some places as early as October. It is almost inescapable for the week or two prior to the 25th. Carolers may even go from door to door singing holiday songs.
On the commercial side, retailers try to entice buyers with sales. Of course, the discounts are available to anyone, Christian or not.
On Christmas Day itself, most businesses are closed, so most everyone gets a day off, regardless of religious affiliation. In Jewish communities, for instance, it is common to have “December 25th concerts” (for obvious reasons, they are not called “Christmas concerts”).
What are some ways the season impacts you? How do you suppose it is different for people with different religious beliefs? Different economic backgrounds?
Related questions: What does the holiday mean to you? Does your holiday fill you with wonder? What makes a tradition?