Tuesday, December 4, 2007

The Stresses of the Holiday Season

Last week we ate too much turkey and then we, Fini Concierge, put up our first of many Christmas trees for a client. Typically, we put up and decorate more than seven trees a season. Along with the tree requests, we’ve received many gifts lists from clients of items that we need to buy, which only means, that we’re in the midst of the holiday season!

Even though so many people look forward to this time of year, when it gets here they meet it with a certain amount of dread. People feel the extra pressure of all the gift buying, party going, cooking and family hosting. And with all of the things “to-do”, they forget about the spirit of the season.

I watched the numerous news stories starting on Thanksgiving Day about the thousands of shoppers who stay up late on Thanksgiving Day or arrived early at the stores on “Black Friday” to start their holiday shopping and take advantage of the holiday sales. They probably bought things they didn’t need because they didn’t want to miss a good deal.

I used to work with a woman who so looked forward to “Black Friday.” Her family tradition was making the pilgrimage with several women in the early morning dark hours to the shop the stores. She would spend the week before going through the circulars in the papers (this was before the days of finding all information on the internet) to identify the best deals where she could cross off the most items on her holiday shopping list. I would look on with dread (watching herds of people trample each other at the doors of a Best Buy still puts a pit in my stomach) as she gleefully mapped out their day. For her it was a productive day but also one that she most enjoyed for the camaraderie that she had with the women she went with – going into battle and coming out victorious. “Black Friday” shopping was their annual holiday girl’s ritual, equal parts enjoyment of getting a deal and celebrating the time they spent together.

Cooking a holiday meal with family, meeting friends for a night of holiday cheer, bringing the kids to ice skate on the Frog Pond or shopping on “Black Friday”, these are the traditions that truly represent the holiday spirit. Yes, we all have a list of gifts to buy and items to bake, but it’s important to not get lost in the things you have “to-do” and remember why you’re doing it. And, of course, you can outsource many of those “to-dos” to others such as Fini Concierge, leaving you more time to enjoy the festivities during the holidays.

Here’s wishing you much enjoyment of the holiday season!!

Chantal