Be A Light & A Giver

It is that favorite time of year again when we are full of holiday cheer and preparing to dive into our favorite holiday traditions. In our multicultural world, traditions may vary, but in some form, there is a similarity between them all. In December, three cultural holidays in the United States are celebrated: Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. Each of the three holidays has included light and giving in some form. You will notice in each of the holidays, lighting candles is a traditional thing to do. Between the three, Christmas is the more widely advertised. In October, stores shift their items to reflect this approaching holiday, even amid two ongoing holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving). As the businesses prepare to cater to the needs of the consumers, they always keep in mind the traditions that matter the most to the consumers. Establishing that connection to what matters most to the customer is what drives the customers to purchase their products. Usually, the normal traditions will include families decorating the Christmas tree together, drinking eggnog, hanging the mistletoe, the nativity scene, and baking Christmas cookies. Some families include traditional games such as the gift exchange and scavenger hunts. The air is full of jingle bells, baked goods, and spices. December always smells of Christmas pine trees, nuts, fruit, gingerbread, and hot chocolate. There is one Christmas tradition that may not be as famous as a few others but has brought joy, hope, smiles, and imagination into the lives of children all over. This tradition is viewing the Sears Wish Book catalog. The catalog was first published in 1933 and was discontinued in 2011. The catalog was published for one more year in 2017. This book was full of toys and other Christmas merchandise. It was a tradition for children to filter through each page and circle which items they wished to have for Christmas. This version of virtual shopping allowed children to imagine themselves having the item that they circled. This wish book tradition brought to light and the spirit of giving just as light and giving is featured in each of the three major holidays in December. This year provides an opportunity to enhance the holiday tradition, while not veering from traditional practices. Let’s bring back the “big book”, also known as the wish book. However, let us show our children how to research and design their own wish book. This is a little deeper than writing your Christmas wish list. This process also leads to other successful habits for children such as being a strategic planner and mapping out goals in their future. This can easily be transitioned to a vision board planning session with children in the future. Being a light and a giver is interwoven into the traditions of December. This unspoken act automatically happens as we carry on with our usual holiday traditions. Many crowd the stores in an attempt to find the perfect gift to give. We have come a long way from circling our desires in our Sears Wish Book Catalog. We can shop within minutes from our mobile devices. As we carry on with our traditions this year, let us be attentive to being a light and a giver. We can be attentive to being the light and example for others to look up to, and this is true in all aspects of our lives. Being a hearty giver leaves room for you to receive regularly in return.

As we give this holiday season, let's remember these three ways to BE A LIGHT.

• Giving your time to someone in need. Sometimes your time is more valuable than any gift you purchase in-store or online.

• Give your children more gifts that are meaningful instead of focusing on the number of gifts given.

• Give a gift to yourself. We are often busy pouring out of ourselves to others that we often neglect ourselves. Give yourself rest, peace, and a moment of quietness. Give yourself that outfit, electronic device, or that one thing that you’ve been secretly hoping for.