Holiday Simplicity

Two weeks before Halloween, several shops in my neighborhood began decking their halls.

Two minutes after Halloween, not a ghost or goblin graced store shelves. They’d been replaced by Santa and his reindeer.

Christmas tunes already blare at one shopping strip near my home.

And it’s still two weeks until Thanksgiving, that seemingly forgotten holiday.

I don’t believe for one minute that the yuletide rush has anything to do with the true ‘reason for the season’; it’s simply a brash, bold move in the name of commercialism.

That’s right – I believe our society is one of over-the-top consumerism. Manufactures and retailers know this, and they play upon us to ‘get it now’, ‘get it while it’s on sale’, ‘get it so your children will love you’, and that sort of thing.

Personally, I’ve had enough of them telling me what to do because, quite frankly, I choose to live simply. I don’t have a lot of stuff. I don’t want a lot of stuff.

I don’t need the newest, most high-tech device out there because I like what I currently have. According to my husband, I’m a notorious purger – I simply don’t like anything unused taking up space in my house.

Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t understand the big whoop in having a lot of material things. That’s not what the holidays should be about, and it certainly isn’t what life should be about. Some of the most miserable, unhappy people I know are the ones who can (and do) go out and buy any old thing any old time they want.

Keep it simple – that’s my motto. I’ve seen children delight in gifts I’ve given them from The Dollar Store just as much as when they receive gifts I’ve given them from The Fifty Dollar Store. Perhaps if adopt a more childlike (rather than childish) stance, the holidays would be less mentally, emotionally, and financially stressful.

I’d love to see us all take a more elegant approach to giving, receiving, and celebrating this time of year. That means we refrain from camping out in front of stores as Black Friday approaches. It means we steer clear of gigantic inflatable outdoor monstrosities that pass as ‘decorations’. It means realizing that the biggest isn’t always the best, and when we do what we do from the heart rather than for show, we’ll all be better off in the long run.

So I encourage you to celebrate thoughtfully and simply this season.

Beth Newman
Newman Image
www.newmanimage.info
Look, feel, and LIVE your absolute best!

Enough

Now that the hoopla surrounding Black Friday has died down – a bit – I think it’s time for us all to sit down, have a re-think, and really take a moment to prioritize our values.

Priorities… values…two concepts that many folks have tossed out the window, it seems.

I’m all for saving a buck, but at what cost? Do we really need to drag our behinds out of bed, don a ball cap and sad track suit, and hit the stores at 3AM?

No.

Nobody needs anymore stuff.

Gadgets, gizmos, and bright shiny things ain’t what it’s all about.

It’s about connecting with one another. It’s about taking care of ourselves so that we may take care of our loved ones. It’s about realizing that everything we need already exists inside of us – if we take a moment away from the media-driven ‘you’ve got to have this or you’re a total loser’ mentality to find it.

Stuff is merely our egos talking.

Every day is Black Friday for those-so-many souls in our society who don’t have enough to eat. Nobody gives two hoots and a holler for gigantic TV’s when they have no home to hang them in. Neglected and abandoned children prefer a hug and a little quality time with some caring soul as opposed to a hand-held device that makes noise. Instead of behaving like untrained animals, why aren’t we spending a little more time helping God’s other creatures find good, loving homes?

‘Now, hold on there, Ms. Elegant’ you may be interjecting right about now, ‘aren’t you that same gal who stresses the importance of clothing…of surrounding ourselves with lovely things….and all that jazz?’ Yes, that’s me, and I’ll gladly share a little insight as to the workings of the fabulous little universe I’ve created for myself:

I don’t own that many clothes. People are quite shocked at the few items I actually have hanging in my closet. I don’t buy it, unless I know I’ll wear it – a lot! God gave me the talent to mix and match, so I ran with it. I drive a ten year old car that doesn’t look so great any more. It gets me from Point A to Point B, and that’s really all I’m concerned about. My home isn’t large, but it serves its purpose for the two people and the two very spoiled cats who inhabit it. We don’t have a lot of junk taking up space on walls or on shelves. The couch has definitely seen better days, but we all wind up snuggled happily together on it each evening. Nobody’s complaining. My house is clean, peaceful, and full of love and laughter, and that’s really what matters most to me.

‘Now, didn’t you even make an offer on Black Friday for your Facebook friends? Something about saving a little money on those Holiday Style Certificates you keep harping about?’

Yes, I did, for two reasons: I like to offer discounts to clients and future clients when I can. My main intention, however, was to keep at least one person from hitting the stores before the crack of dawn. In my humble opinion, knowing how to put an outfit together is a skill that will last a lifetime. It’s a confidence-builder, and will carry a person much farther in life than a twenty dollar bracelet marked down forty percent of its original cost.

The news reported that a local Wal-Mart lost power for a few hours on Black Friday. I can’t help but think that it may have been God sending us a message. Let’s take heed of these little signs, my friends, before it’s lights out – for good.

Beth Newman
Image Consultant/Life Coach/Author
Newman Image
www.newmanimage.info
Look, feel, and LIVE your absolute best!