Holiday Blues Turned into Blueberry Pie...

Wow! The holidays are here and I smell cinammon and apples and the sweet smelling savor of pine in the air! I see the hustle and bustle of multitudes of people fighting to make sure that their children have THE PERFECT Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, etc. But wait...what about the people who find themselves in a desperate financial situation. Those who can't afford the Christmas plug-ins to set the atmosphere in scent. Those who can't afford a Christmas tree let alone lights strung all around the house, because they are struggling to pay their regular electric bill? What about the people who no longer have a home and find themselves relying on the charity of others or in a shelter or worse yet in the streets? What about those people? They have to use their buckets too! Let's just be real! Can I just keep it one hundred with you all?

I don't know about you all but even I feel the pressure of the holidays! Why? Not because of Christ but because of people. Now I am a strong person but when your children hear all of their friends talking about all of the expensive gifts they are getting for Christmas and then want to provide you with their WISH list for SANTA, it creates some pressure. So let me give you  Dr. Glass' tips for dealing with the pressure of the holidays!

1. Remind your entire family what the holidays are about my letting them know how much you love and appreciate them through your words and actions.
2. Let your children know that the gifts they get for Christmas don't determine how good they are or their value.
3. Be honest with your family and friends about what is going to be financially feasible for you this year.
4. Don't beat yourself up because you can't get everything you want to get your family and friends for Christmas.
5. Develop a plan to celebrate the holidays without going into debt on your credit cards, payday loans, title loans, or any other scheme to have you paying for that one day for 12 months after the toys are broken.
6. Spend some time with your family doing fun but inexpensive things like baking cookies from the refrigerated section of the grocery store...Thank God for Pillsbury!
7. Have a Christmas movie night courtesy of Redbox. You can't beat a dollar, but please take the movies back the next day!
8. Have your children pick a gift that can be shared as their big gift...I know they don't want to share but oh well, they need to learn to do it!
9. Write a note to family and friends that is personal to show your love and appreciation or send a Christmas card.
10. Set aside some time for yourself and treat yourself to a hot chocolate at Starbucks and read a good book like Use Your Buckets!!!
11. Develop family traditions they don't require money.
12. Celebrate the true meaning of the holiday season which for us is the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It really is about giving Him the greatest gift that we can...loving one another!

Don't get caught up in the holiday blues. Take those blues and make blueberry pie! Now personally, I don't like blueberry pie, but at least it will make for a great gift or pie fight! I'm cool either way! Use your buckets and live happily ever NOW! Don't wait until later, because it just might be too late!

Enjoy the holiday season and Merry Christmas!!!

Love,

Dr. VG