Psych Your Mind: Bah, humbug! Christmas shishmiss
I'm conflicted about Christmas. Some
may even claim I'm a bit "grinchy." While I
agree with its sentiments, its modern day
practise frankly makes me feel like removing
myself from all associated celebrations
of it entirely.
My "bah humbug" attitude was solidified as I got older and everything started to feel obligatory. When you're a member of a family characterized by several broken marriages, remarriages and stepsiblings, trying to include everyone in the gift-giving escapades adds up real fast. Since when is a holiday associated with "glee" supposed to make you broke? There's nothing very fun about that.
If the above wasn't bad enough, I started to find myself in a situation with a certain unnamed relative wherein anytime they'd purchase me a gift, there'd be an additional unseen price tag attached — something I refer to as the "Trojan horse of gift-giving." Somehow just because I accepted something I thought was given out of generosity, I was manipulated into doing this or that for said individual… and if I failed to comply, I was reminded how much money was spent on me and how my non-compliance was apparently indicative of a lack of appreciation. Coined by psychologists in the 1960s as "the guilt trip," this is by far the WORST of the giftgiving practises and is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to psychologically control and abuse someone.
Today, my friends, we are here to speak on the art of sincere gift-giving, and in this circumstance, sincere can be taken as synonymous with "mature."
When it comes to the art of sincere gift giving, I believe Sean Connery's character in the movie Finding Forrester summed it up perfectly: "The way to a (person's) heart is an unexpected gift at an unexpected time." After all, doing so indicates that you were obtaining a gift for this individual purely because they happened to be on your mind and you wanted to do something to brighten their day. In this context, please note that the term "gift" does NOT simply refer to a commodity purchased at a store, but can include sending a note to someone you've fallen out of touch with recently just to remind them that even though you do not speak often, they still are very important to you or preparing someone their favourite dish after they've had an extra long day at work. Genuine acts of kindness toward complete strangers, such as helping an elderly woman or man carry their groceries to the car, are by far the most meaningful, as you have no direct relation to said individuals.
What I'm trying to get at is this: REAL gifts are given from the HEART to the recipient "just 'cause" and with NO strings attached or expectations of reciprocation. NO holiday — whether we're talking Xmas, a birthday or Valentine's — should ever make you feel obligated to do something for someone you wouldn't normally do. On the other side of the equation, a mature recipient acknowledges and appreciates the "effort" put forth and never maintains a price limit of what should be spent on him/her nor compares gifts from different givers. As the old saying goes, "It IS the thought that counts."
As all of you go out and spend far more than you can afford this year just to participate in a practise of an annual celebration that has lost all relation to its genesis, I ask you to remember what I've written above and perhaps try to see that the TRUE gift of Christmas is the ability to spend time with your loved ones. They may drive you crazy and have ridiculous habits, but not everyone has a family or friends to share wonderful moments with. In sum, gift-giving should NEVER define a relationship. A relationship should be defined by the gifts we do for each other WITHOUT obligation.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
My "bah humbug" attitude was solidified as I got older and everything started to feel obligatory. When you're a member of a family characterized by several broken marriages, remarriages and stepsiblings, trying to include everyone in the gift-giving escapades adds up real fast. Since when is a holiday associated with "glee" supposed to make you broke? There's nothing very fun about that.
If the above wasn't bad enough, I started to find myself in a situation with a certain unnamed relative wherein anytime they'd purchase me a gift, there'd be an additional unseen price tag attached — something I refer to as the "Trojan horse of gift-giving." Somehow just because I accepted something I thought was given out of generosity, I was manipulated into doing this or that for said individual… and if I failed to comply, I was reminded how much money was spent on me and how my non-compliance was apparently indicative of a lack of appreciation. Coined by psychologists in the 1960s as "the guilt trip," this is by far the WORST of the giftgiving practises and is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to psychologically control and abuse someone.
Today, my friends, we are here to speak on the art of sincere gift-giving, and in this circumstance, sincere can be taken as synonymous with "mature."
When it comes to the art of sincere gift giving, I believe Sean Connery's character in the movie Finding Forrester summed it up perfectly: "The way to a (person's) heart is an unexpected gift at an unexpected time." After all, doing so indicates that you were obtaining a gift for this individual purely because they happened to be on your mind and you wanted to do something to brighten their day. In this context, please note that the term "gift" does NOT simply refer to a commodity purchased at a store, but can include sending a note to someone you've fallen out of touch with recently just to remind them that even though you do not speak often, they still are very important to you or preparing someone their favourite dish after they've had an extra long day at work. Genuine acts of kindness toward complete strangers, such as helping an elderly woman or man carry their groceries to the car, are by far the most meaningful, as you have no direct relation to said individuals.
What I'm trying to get at is this: REAL gifts are given from the HEART to the recipient "just 'cause" and with NO strings attached or expectations of reciprocation. NO holiday — whether we're talking Xmas, a birthday or Valentine's — should ever make you feel obligated to do something for someone you wouldn't normally do. On the other side of the equation, a mature recipient acknowledges and appreciates the "effort" put forth and never maintains a price limit of what should be spent on him/her nor compares gifts from different givers. As the old saying goes, "It IS the thought that counts."
As all of you go out and spend far more than you can afford this year just to participate in a practise of an annual celebration that has lost all relation to its genesis, I ask you to remember what I've written above and perhaps try to see that the TRUE gift of Christmas is the ability to spend time with your loved ones. They may drive you crazy and have ridiculous habits, but not everyone has a family or friends to share wonderful moments with. In sum, gift-giving should NEVER define a relationship. A relationship should be defined by the gifts we do for each other WITHOUT obligation.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
