The Holidays Aren’t Happy for Everyone
The holidays aren’t happy for everyone.
Many are fighting a battle we know nothing about. For some, this is the first holiday without a loved one, or a reminder of a strained relationship. Others still are working to make ends meet and wondering how they’ll put presents under the tree.
Keeping this perspective in mind helps me remember how lucky we are.
For Chris and I, the holiday season started with excitement, as we started the home buying process. But that excitement quickly faded – as this has easily been one of the most stressful processes we’ve been through.
We were hoping to close right after Christmas, so we didn’t decorate and we cut WAY back on presents. We made homemade gifts for relatives and we didn’t buy anything for each other because we knew there would be SO much we wanted to purchase for our new home. But now, it’s clear that the closing isn’t happening until the new year. And we’re heartbroken, but we’re not ready to give up.
That said, Christmas looks a little bit different this year. We may not have a tree, or stockings, or tons of gifts — but I’m confident that soon we’ll have a home to call our own.
Through this process, we’ve grown so much as a couple – learning to navigate uncertainty, stress, and major financial decisions. We’ve remained strong through it all — I’ll admit not without a few tears and raised voices.
Chris and I are great in times of crisis because somehow when one of us is down, the other is able to be up – and vice versa. We both have our moments. Just this morning, he started to shut down over confusing, never-ending homeowner’s insurance options. I called the insurance agent so we could ask questions and make an informed decision. And then this evening, when we heard back from the seller, I got upset because we’re going to lose yet another week waiting for an estimate over the holidays. Chris reminded me that we’re not in a rush and that we want to do this right (Bonus points: he opened a bottle of wine!)
At the end of the day, we both know that a house is material – it can’t make you happy. It’s family that really matters, and I know how incredibly lucky we are to have family, friends and the means to celebrate this Christmas.
If something is getting you down this holiday season, I encourage you to shift your perspective and reach out to others. Perform small acts of kindness – or big ones if you can – pay for the person behind you at Starbucks, compliment a stranger, buy a gift for a family in need.
It’s okay not to be okay, not to be happy, this Christmas. But a bit of gratitude, and a dash of perspective can help remind you what the holidays are really about.
