I love the holidays. The decorations, the excitement, the specialness, the celebrations – all of it. Well, almost all of it. I don’t love the hustle, the urgency, the pressure (where does that pressure even come from??) to do more, to do it perfectly (as if!), to buy more (but it’s 40% off!).  Evidently, Black Friday has morphed into a whole season unto itself, with the onslaught of increasingly urgent sales pitches now starting the day after Halloween and rising to fever pitch on the actual Friday after Thanksgiving.  But wait, next it’s Cyber Monday!  Don’t stop now, let’s make it a whole Cyber Week!  And then come those last-minute shopping deals (as if waiting until December to shop is a mortal sin – gasp!)!  Hold on…isn’t the holiday season supposed to be a time of peace?

Don’t get me wrong.  I love a good sale, and sometimes, I need a good sale.  What I take issue with is the FOMO-mongering tenor of it all.  Encased within the supposed gift of a good deal is a poison pill: it’s letting someone else dictate how we prioritize our precious time.  I have learned am still learning the hard way that if I don’t guard my time with a ferocity second only to how I would guard my own children, something or someone else is going to fill it up faster than I can say “doorbuster.”  That may sound extreme, but consider this:  I just read that we are exposed to more information in one day than the average person in the 15th Century encountered in an entire lifetime.  That’s mind-blowing!  And how useful is the vast majority of that information, really?  Not as useful as sitting by the fire, drinking in the wisdom of a grandparent.  Not as useful as the original thoughts and experiences that flow from moments created with intention.  

What if, instead of succumbing to the scarcity stress of Black Friday Season, we choose to embrace an intentional, more abundant approach?  By opting out of the rush, we can create space to appreciate the true spirit of the holidays – time with loved ones, reflection, spirituality, gratitude.  And we may still even have time for Christmas cookies and ugly sweater parties.