"A man’s gift maketh room for him..."

Proverbs XVIII

At the end of the year, most people’s thoughts turn more toward family, friends, and the commonality of mankind. Celebrations of various natures take place - religious observances, group festivities, personal gift-giving and special communications.

...The last month of the year is the sharing season.

Sharing... sharing of oneself, sharing with others, sharing in something. The word itself has a "warm-fuzzy" connotation. It also has two major components: sharing is a combination of contributing and partaking.

Both, in fact, imply some effort - an expenditure of time and thought, at a minimum. And for many, the holiday season contributing, at least, may routinely be well beyond efforts (and financial outlay) normally expended in order to share with others. Either partaking or contributing, in fact, might be felt to be difficult for some - a discomfort, a chore, or even an overwhelming exertion.

How sad it can be to find one’s enjoyment of the season waning in the face of the work it involves, the commercialism "infesting" it, and perhaps simply ennui - a once-bright fire burned down to mere coals. Or, worse, to find oneself, and those around one, approaching it with dread... the holidays that can be so enchanting to a child!

Have we just outgrown the holidays? I’ve given a lot of thought to that... and no, that’s not the answer for me. Anyone can find enjoyment in the sharing season, even Scrooge... though sometimes only with help. But that too is a component of sharing.

In essence, a gift from the heart can be looked on as a token of gratitude. Gratitude for what may be only implied (or mysteriously latent; or made evident in an accompanying note); and we may not even be able to articulate it for ourselves - but telling why isn't the main point. What prompts us to share is a sense of thankfulness for the other person's friendship, camaraderie, thoughtfulness; or contributions; or, simply, awareness of us as co-adventurers on earth. So what if giving is ritualized sometimes? We have reason to give thanks for much in life, and gift-giving during the sharing season is one outlet for expressions of caring that we may not think to make overt normally.

Such a from-the-heart gift is also something that inspires gratitude in others in turn... which in itself is a gift, the drawing out of gratitude that expands the heart.

Maybe what we need is to relocate within ourselves the impetus to give - even in those situations where we tend to feel a gift is more obligatory than not. We can invest meaning where we choose... And is it not good to expand our hearts?

I enjoy simple - and I enjoy complex. "Simplifying the holidays" isn’t what everyone needs... The richness of them may be much of the pleasure to be found in them. But finding the heart of the holidays for each of us - the principles that make contributing and partaking enjoyable to all parties... Wouldn’t that bring renewal to the season?

And would some ideas for how to put those principles into action help to "positivize" your holiday outlook?

Let’s explore the sharing season together...