How the holidays are ruined

The holiday season has come to a close, and I have assessed my holiday experience this year. I had a great time with family, friends, and loved ones, but I found myself wondering why everyone seems to want to control how you spend the holiday season. There are so many rules.

When it comes to celebrating Christmas, Christians urge you not to be too secular. Don’t take the Christ out of Christmas, that means despite the fact that I am running out of characters on twitter, space on cards and gift tags, and energy in my fingertips, I can not write “X-Mas”. I have to spread cheer and joy through the giving gifts but I can’t let it be stressful, I have to manage the busy time by spending extra time with God because it is about the birth of Christ. I must remember to tell the world that Jesus is the reason for the season, and if I do all these things, I am a true Christian and understand the meaning of the holiday. That’s way too much for me. I decided to look into Kwanzaa instead.

The principles of Kwaanza are powerful. The reflection, inspired by the holiday is phenomenal. The self-awareness embarked on during the days of Kwanzaa, life changing. I was excited to learn of the traditions and inspiration behind a holiday that I thought I could get down with. One not tied to doctrine or organized religion, then I discovered, though there isn’t a direct doctrine, there is a declaration that Kwanzaa can not be celebrated in conjunction with any other holiday or it compromises the fidelity. Now here you have a day titled Kujichagulia, where you define yourself, yet someone dictates what I can or cannot do in my celebration. Turn off central. I was then disgusted. How do you put guidelines and stipulations on an individual’s journey to self-awareness? Will I be less aware of who I am and my role in my community if I don’t do it the way that they say? Chances are, listening to them, I’d be just as lost as if I listened to everything from organized religion, doctrine, or anything else that would lead me to be less true to who I am.

I have concluded, that in order to define myself, what and how I celebrate, and my life’s path, I must listen to my inner voice and not external influences. It is important that I stay focused on what I would like to come of my life and all of the signs that my body, mind, and heart give me, rather than taking on someone else’s beliefs as my own. Unfortunately, people readily dictate to others the dos and donts of life, and few people are willing to determine them for themselves. On my holiday excursion, I realized, that I must define holidays by my own terms, because even Kwanzaa has elements of control.

Bottom line: Think for yourself.