Making Merry in December

 

To "make merry" involves enjoying oneself with others.  This is the time of year of festive parties, gatherings with friends as well as family.  If you are employed, it may involve holiday parties with co-workers.  It also probably means avoiding the scale during an intense period of festive treats and beverages.  Then the question becomes do these festive gatherings make you happy?  Everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to holiday gatherings, but I will hope you get to choose which festivities you participate in and that you only choose to participate in those that truly do provide you with an atmosphere of joy and allows you to make merry with others.  If you receive invitations that instead bring feelings of dread, don't go!  It is much easier to decline invitations with a simple statement that you regret that you have a "previous commitment."  You don't have to share that the commitment is to keeping yourself happy.  During this season it is very easy to get stressed over too many invitations, too much food, and just too many people.  On the other hand, for extroverts, this is the season to embrace and gather with as many others as time allows.  Just recognize when you are doing something because you feel you must versus doing something because it will truly make you happy and your presence with make others happy as a result.  To decline an invitation does not make you a Grinch.  It is a recognition that if you aren't going to be happy, your presence will not increase the happiness of others.  You will find your own happiness in making decisions that make you comfortable.  So, please make merry when you truly want to and rest when you don't. 

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."  Mahatma Gandhi