این نیز بگذرد
Arabic
Gam zeh ya’avor
Hebrew
This too shall pass
English
Yesterday was the winter solstice.
Which means that today we will enjoy a few more seconds of daylight. Tomorrow will add another bit of illumination.
Slowly, slowly, each and every day things will get a little bit brighter.
Every year our earth offers up the best metaphor I know – a timeless message of hope and the annual reminder to have faith that things will improve. Or, at the very least, that things will change and we will eventually cycle through our darkest nights. Our spinning little world reminds us over and over of the perennial wisdom that is spoken in so many languages, that, this too shall pass.
In the meantime, we light a boatload of candles against the dark. We build fires, plug in multitudes of bright lights and hang shiny objects to reflect as many sparkles as possible. Tinsel, garland, baubles, crystals and glass. Most of us do our best to get in touch with our inner crows. If it’s shiny and bright, it’s fair game.
I have a few other tricks that help while I’m waiting for the light to come (and to enjoy the best Christmas I can).
I’m going to guess you know and use most of them too, and I hope you’ll help me expand this list:
- dark chocolate, piles and plates of dark chocolate (strictly for their health-enhancing benefits).
- walking in a winter wonderland – seeking out as many nature walks as possible. If you can find some reflective snow on those walks, all the better.
- hygge – by now we all know about this Danish trick of creating comfort and welcoming warmth in our homes. Cozy up your world. Wear soft snuggly clothes, get a good book or a good friend or both and settle onto the sofa.
- embracing the knowledge that happiness is not a given. Contrary to most of those bestselling self-help books, we are not entitled to be happy. Sometimes we will be sad. Really sad. But like all emotions, those intense waves are gradually subdued by time. Sometimes a dark wave will rise up and knock us flat, but overall those moments are softened and contained by the bigger ocean of time.
- further to the lies of happiness. Don’t compare your Christmas to anyone else’s. Remind yourself that Facebook encourages the offering up of our best selves. Those Christmas photos of happy families are not the ‘truth’. They are simply their best moment in time. The next photo might have shown good ol’ Uncle Bob passed out in the stuffing.
- practise gratitude. This one should really be at the top of this list (but hey, chocolate!). Write out the things you’re grateful for or at least list them to yourself. Be specific. Go for the tiniest detail. Appreciate your warm slippers, your clean sheets, the roof over your head…
- do something kind for someone else. This does not have to involve any money or material gifts. Give of yourself. Be courteous. Be polite. Be a good citizen. Do something charitable.
- remind yourself over and over until it becomes your go-to mantra, the best present is being present. Quality time hanging out together is the best gift of all.
- drink lots of water (okay, that’s a good tip for any time of the year, but it really is important to hydrate).
- add to this list in the comments below or on the Facebook post.
- Feel free to share this so we can compile a complete go-to Christmas Survival Guide.
Merry Christmas!
Colleen, in your response to me you mentioned the warmth of an inn after a cold day; well it reminded me when I used to ski in the French mountains of Savoie or in the Alps, after the exhiliration of descending the slopes, I used to go into the farms, where the cattle were and I would go in the stables (when permitted), I loved the warmth of the cattle and their breaths. It was so comforting and peaceful and it smelled of fresh hay.
What a beautiful memory. I love the smell of hay and animals in a warm barn too 🙂
This year I had the best Christmas in the last 7 years. I went on a walking holiday with an organised group in the beautiful county of Shropshire. We walked every day (9 to 10 miles). It was cold, windy and sometimes wet but oh my, what a challenge it was. When we came back to the hotel, exhilirated, a warm, mulled wine and cakes were waiting for us. In the evening we had games – skittles, quizzes and so forth. On Christmas Day we had bucks’ fizz and were even given a present. All the people were friendly and we had time to talk to a lot of people – even in these 5 days I had time to make a new friend. Today we left with the snow on the hills. It was magic.
Catherine, this is a brilliant plan. I love the combination of exercise, nature and comfort. To come into the warmth of an inn at the end of a blustery day sounds ideal. I love how it is in such contrast to the usual commercialism that is too often associated with Christmas. I plan on taking a page out of your book on this one for next year. Perhaps a Kimberley snowy version of this. Thanks for the inspiration.
Lovely write-up, Colleen. Hope you’re enjoying, savouring and welcoming the holidays!
Thanks Ariane. It’s been a lot of days of feasting. Hope you’ve enjoyed the holidays too.
If all else fails, run away for Christmas. Far far away. Like to Iceland. I did! It’s fabulous here. They have 13 Yule lads instead of 1 Santa. They have tour guides named Thor (sigh). They give each other books for Christmas and stay home and read. They have lava craters, outdoor hotbaths, no army and well-subsidized working daycare….
And as they say, ‘A change is as good as a rest.”
Elinor, I think your plan sounds quite genius. It seems to me that you’ve discovered you’re part Icelandic.