Everyone is gearing up for Christmas. Even on my small little island, the hotels are decorated with Christmas trees and the stores are getting ready for the madness that is Christmas. A few are even advertising Black Friday sales. My Twitter feed, Facebook wall, and e-mail inbox are filling up with ads and articles on Christmas.
I love Christmas. It is by far my favorite time of the year. I love Christmas music, movies, decorations, and all that is Christmas. I love the sights, sounds, and smells. The lights, trees-all of it. I have so many fond memories of Christmas as a kid. Of our traditions, trees, ornaments, presents etc. My parents did all they could to make sure that Christmas in our home was celebrated and was the best it could be. And for that I am so thankful. But as I get older, I find that my views and ideas on Christmas are changing.
Being so far away from home during this time of year has given me a new perspective on Christmas and is shaping some of my ideas of Christmas. I have also been immersing myself in as much social justice literature as I can find and becoming an avid reader of blogs and articles relating to poverty, sex trafficking, global health, and what is being done in those areas to eradicate and solve the problems. It has made me realize how much good can be done with a simple shift in focus.
I don’t know what Christmas will look like this year. For the first time in my life, I will not be spending it with my biological family. I will not wake up to snow or cold, but to sunshine and the ocean. There will be no trees or decorations and only a few presents. I just realized I didn’t need anything. I have starting making lists and notes and thinking about how I want Christmas to look in the future. My thoughts are still being shaped and will probably somewhat depend on where I am living at that time, but I know that I want to do things differently. I want to shape my Christmas around others and what I can do for them-how I can use my resources to make a difference.
My thoughts are a work in progress…but then again, we are all still works in progress.
