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Moderation
during holidays
By Melissa Martin
Must Americans supersize everything? Must Americans make everything a
competition? Must Americans go big-bigger-biggest?
People, practice self-control. How many six-foot inflatable characters
does one yard need? How many outdoor blinking lights does one roof
need? How many Christmas trees does one house need?
Some families get caught up in “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation”
by copying the Griswold home lighting fiasco. “But we use
energy-efficient LEDs!” you shout as the Grinch drives by.
“Deck the Halls,” a movie starring Danny DeVit and Matthew Broderick,
is not a model for outdoor decorating—unless you’re trying to one-up
your neighbor. And of course, there’s a Reality TV show competition on
decorating with illumination. And the winner’s retinas are sizzled by
the glittery glare of bazillion or more bulbs.
Please step away from the endless tacky decorations. Plastic singing
reindeer are too much. Gaudy garland is not vogue. Being distasteful is
not a crime, but you can be arrested for bizarre behavior.
And how many over-the-top gifts are stacked under your tree, which is
so covered in ornaments, tinsel, and ribbon—you can hardly see the
green of the pine branches. A squirrel or feral cat could hide in the
foliage for a month or more without being disturbed.
Are you buying every gift on your child’s wish list? If so, why? Kids
do not need an over abundance of toys and techno gadgets. “But all my
friends have it.” Kids know how to pull the guilt strings. Push away
the parent pressure. Combat Christmas spending chaos. No more Christmas
gift tsunami. Excess can lead to stress. Divorce and long hours at work
are probably the most common sources of parent guilt. Children or
adults that get everything they want become entitled people.
Overindulged kids often become overindulged adults.
And toss that creepy Elf on the Shelf the kids fight over. Parents feed
the yearly expectation for daily gifts, even small ones.
Some grandparents buy, buy, buy. Stop it or I’ll ground you on bingo
and booze night. You’ll be sent to your room to balance your budget.
Resist, resist, resist the urge to splurge. Make less stuff your goal
and more outings.
“Skip the costly electronic games and flashy digital gizmos.
Pediatricians say the best toys for kids are old-fashioned hands-on
playthings that young children can enjoy with parents — things like
blocks, puzzles — even throwaway cardboard boxes — that spark
imagination and creativity,” according to a 2018 article in the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution.
Avoid the 2019 guilt over the gift gluttony by downsizing debt. The
annual gift-a-palooza puts some families in the red because of the
green. Hide the credit card from yourself.
Overspending, overeating, or overdoing—practice moderation. Put
mindfulness into monitoring and managing holiday distress. Step off the
scurry-hurry roller-coaster ride of planning and preparing and focus on
the feeling in the moment. A Finnish proverb says, “Happiness is a
place between too little and too much.”
Traditions, rituals, and spending time together is what makes memories
for kids—not toys. Decorating the tree, stringing the lights, and
helping cook or bake add warmth to relationships. Children like
attention and activities.
And laughter can ease freak-out frenzies. Gag gifts like bacon air
freshener and reindeer snot fidget putty bring smiles. Have a hilarious
white elephant gift exchange and chuckle.
Now, I do believe that most holly-jolly people genuinely do have a lot
of Christmas spirit. And that’s why many go overboard. They regress to
happy children. And proudly wear ugly holiday sweaters to parties.
Enjoy the holiday offerings and celebrations, but keep moderation at
the forefront.
“A little more moderation would be good. Of course, my life hasn’t
exactly been one of moderation.”—Donald Trump
Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, and educator. She lives
in
Southern Ohio. www.melissamartinchildrensauthor.com.
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