Gratitude is good for your health, your mood, and your relationships. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus, the holiday season centers around faith, family, and gratitude.
1. The laughter of children.
Whether you're going to see Santa, spinning a dreidel, or teaching cultural traditions, the magic of the holiday seasons is built around children. Seeing the faces of little ones light up and hearing their delightful squeals of joy is one of the best parts of the season.
2. Family.
Most of us take a little time to see family during this time of year. Gathering together and catching up is a tradition for which we can all be grateful this season.
3. Tradition.
Whether the group gathers in front of the fire, or in front of a favorite holiday movie, annual traditions make the holidays special. Hanging stockings. Baking. Stringing up lights. Lighting candles. All these traditions are passed down through generations, and practicing them links us to our histories.
4. Food.
Whatever the traditions, they almost always include special foods. Unique holiday foods are something we can all look forward to year round. And now that the holiday season is here, it's time to dig in and enjoy them with gratitude.
5. Faith.
The holidays are a time of faith and reverence. Holiday traditions symbolize some of the most sacred of our beliefs. The holidays can strengthen and renew faith, binding us to our spiritual roots.
6. The little things.
Whether it's appreciating the warmth of grandma's house for the holiday, or savoring favorite music on the record player, the little things to enjoy give us much to be thankful for.
7. The big things.
Sometimes the holidays contain miracles: the favor of strangers, a life changing gift, a reunion with a long lost loved one, a final tradition with a dying family member. The holidays invite us to take a chance and make a difference for one another in the most profound ways.
8. A break from routine.
Whether this year's celebration is profound or mundane, this time of year means stepping out of the everyday and into something special, if only for a few days.
9. Over the river and through the woods.
Traveling home is one of the best traditions of the season. Trekking across the terrain to enter back into the place where loved ones gather is something we can all be grateful for.
10. Holiday spirit.
Giving and receiving, love and laughter, visiting those in need, the holidays are all about that special spirit. And that's the best part of all!
