For me, the holidays are less about gifts and decorations, and more about enjoying experiences like band concerts, a small local ballet production of the Nutcracker, and seeing my cousin ice skate in the holiday skating show where she teaches. If we look at holidays as a task and a list of things to do by a big deadline, that creates stress. If I look at it as a time to enjoy seeing friends and family, it is something fun to look forward to. Yesterday, I had to pick up some medical supplies for my mom, and I held the door open for a lady with a walker who was headed into the same store. She thanked me, and she thanked me again as I was leaving. I told her Merry Christmas. Something as simple as that can brighten your spirits to share kindness, not just at the holidays, but any day.

I do remember one year when I was young that I didn't want Christmas to come. It seemed like everyone else was happy, and I was alone with a broken heart. My dad had a connection with a commander at Great Lakes Naval Base, and he wanted to cheer me up, so we invited eight sailors to our house for Christmas dinner who could not go home to their families. Some didn't have close families. All of them were hand picked by their commander and we had to pick them up in the morning and return them to the base that night.

I think of this as a "Blue and White Christmas" because they all came in their dress blue uniforms and white sailors caps and were so polite. We had a turkey with all the side dishes and lots of desserts. I couldn't figure out why any of them took any beer and instead chose soda to drink. We were not beer drinkers, but had beer for our guests. Finally I asked, and found out they were worried about what we might say about them if they were drinking beer. So we assured them not to worry and just enjoy the day away from the base, and they did. I felt better about Christmas that year because I shared it with others who needed this just as much as I did. I've also learned to just accept what comes and to enjoy things that are a bit different. I actually like things simple.