If we could design a holiday that would double as the kickoff to the Christmas shopping season, I think it should be a holiday focused on gratitude.  Practicing gratitude for the gift of being alive, for there being something rather than nothing, for wakefulness and breathing, for warm fires and good food – this can change one’s entire outlook on the world.  Gratitude flowers into contentment.  And if we’re content, we need very little else to make us happy.  If we’re grateful and content, we’re much less susceptible to advertisements trying to convince us we need their product to gain happiness. 

Gratitude and contentment could reshape the economy!  Our gift giving could flow out of that rather than anxiety.

If only we had such a national holiday to ground us in gratitude just as peak shopping season begins… 

Also…

If you’re anticipating a challenging holiday family gathering any time in the next month that involves a clash of worldviews, I recommend the most recent episode of Bart Campolo’s “Humanize Me” podcast, HERE.  Bart is a former evangelical leader turned humanist chaplain and counselor.  He dishes out some helpful tips and advice in this episode, much having to do with setting some intentions.

Wishing you a good holiday that includes a heaping portion of gratitude with a side of intention and rest.

Joel