One of the interesting pieces of being a practitioner of a religion that is not mainstream is the entire Holiday hooplah. How do you opt out of the mess, spending, overload and circuit blowing anxiety meltdown while honouring those who feel that it is the mainspring of the year and terribly important? How do you explain the opt out to your young offspring who are preparing to go annually to the big blowout provided by the ex's family?
My own take on it has been enjoy the celebrations of others while reserving my celebrations for my own holidays. In the end it comes down to give gifts to those who gift at this time and give the rest at our later time. nice boundaries Huh? It is usually messier than that and now days my answer to people who ask if I celebrate Christmas and the time of year is: Culturally, yes. Religiously, No.
I have step children and grandchildren who I make and give gifts to. The office has a minor gifting that goes on. My family members that celebrate get gifts now.
I don't decorate, I don't bake. There is no gathering of people and an eat until you explode orgy followed by a huge fight fueled by unresolved sibling resentment plus alcohol. As it is I am going to go down and have a moderate dinner with my people, then I am coming back and going dancing.
Even so I feel overloaded by the expectations of the season and I can't imagine what it would be like to put the kind of emotional load onto it that I see others doing.
If that is your way then I hope that you have a wonderful time with it, a grand and messy time with way too much of everything good.
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