Three Secrets to Celebrating the Holidays

By Pat Heydlauff

With a fragile economy, international peace precariously perched on a tightrope and family expectations still focused on visions of sugar plums from the past of perfect holiday celebrations, is it possible that you are already worried, weary and worn out?

Additionally, it is very easy to get caught up in the political correctness being reported 24/7 in the media today about whether you should wish one a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or Happy Holidays. This adds to the stressful demands already placed upon you during the hectic holiday season. Christmas is the legal holiday celebrated on the 25th of December, and other great holidays like Hanukkah also fall during this special season providing many a special celebration of their own who do not celebrate a traditional Christmas.

The Celebration Secret: By trying to make this a politically correct holiday, a lot of negative feelings and energy are created by those determined to take the wonderful and glorious positive energy out of Christmas for the 95% of this nation’s population that celebrates Christmas. The celebration secret is, if Christmas has great meaning to you celebrate it with great enthusiasm and joy, and savor the moment. If Hanukkah is the holiday you celebrate, then celebrate it in your appropriate fashion and cherish it. If you are part of that 5% that celebrate other holidays, do so with appropriate gusto and/or reverence. Do not allow your holiday season to be stripped of its good cheer and be relegated to mediocre energy for you and yours. Savor the moment and enjoy your holidays to the fullest.

The Gift Giving Secret:

Step 1 - Be realistic. Because of the economic circumstances, the holidays may be less abundant this year but if you can slow down and savor the moment you will be able to celebrate with less anxiety, be free of worry and full of joy. You can prevent holiday doom and gloom by handling fears and apprehension now ahead of time so be realistic. Reduce the unrealistic expectations for younger family members and eliminate the feelings of guilt if seniors cannot provide the usual contributions to holiday joy. This step alone will remove a great deal of stress and increase everyone’s enjoyment.

Step 2 – Give gifts others want. If you think like the millions of hurried shoppers that you can simply go to a store, pick out a gift, buy it, wrap it and then your job is done, think again! The real secret in gift giving is in knowing what the other person would love to receive, not what you think they should have. Success in gift giving comes from understanding the vast difference between these two options.

Don’t waste hard earned money and good intentions on impulse purchases or items you would like to receive. Just because you might love something doesn’t mean your friend, spouse, family members or co-workers will want or love it.  Choose all of your gifts based on the knowledge that the recipient would love to receive the gift you’ve chosen.

Step 3 - Gifts that keep giving. Now that you know the secret for giving the perfect gift, below are three ideas that would make a great positive energy gifts that continue to give.

• Give a gift that is symbolic of a good relationship such as tickets to a movie or the theater you can share. Or, give a beautifully framed picture of you or you and the family or you and your spouse at a very joy filled event. If the gift is for a significant other, you might consider a lovely double heart shaped crystal bud vase with two fresh roses in his or her favorite color and a promise to fill it once a week for the next three months.

• Give a gift of music that reduces stress or provides peace of mind. Feng Shui music can soothe the soul or encourage the weary and can be purchased at most music stores and online. Check out the Feng Shui music collection on the Energy-by-Design website or Steve Halpern online.

• Give a gift of Tranquility. An indoor tabletop water fountain is fun to have and enjoyable listening. When placed near the front door the flow of water encourages positive welcoming energy to enter the home or office. If it is placed in the north it also energizes career and spirituality. Its sound needs to be pleasant but not overwhelming. In fact, sound is as important as appearance.

The Decorating Secret: Take time to enjoy the decorating process. The festive indoor decorations, the bright lights and the colorful gift wrappings of this season are great personal energy builders that are a huge part of celebrating the season. Don’t just rush through and “git-r-done” as Larry the Cable Guy would say. In fact, holiday colors align very nicely with the Feng Shui 5 Elements Cycle.

• The color green represents the good health plus wealth of the element wood.

• Red represents the fire element which provides great fame and good luck.

• The blue of Hanukkah represents career and spirituality through the element of water.

• Silver and gold are the metal elements which encompass everything from creativity and children to travel and helpful people.

• The ornaments of the season are made out of blown glass or fired ceramics making them a great symbol of the element earth which encourages positive relationships and a grounded lifestyle.

• The bright lights further energize all who celebrate.

Slow down and savor the moment, you can never re-live this moment or be guaranteed it will ever happen again. Enjoy it now. Stand firm and celebrate the intent of your season, wishing those around you the appropriate good wishes. Give gifts your recipients will want and love, not the one you want to give. Give gifts that will help you and the recipient savor the moment and provide loving positive energy throughout the year ahead.

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