Bring on The Holidays!
Happy November!
I hope your fall has been spent doing lots of fun activities. So far Kairo, his father and I have gone apple picking, attended a fall festival, carved pumpkins and went trick or treating. This season has been filled with many family activities, and I’m grateful for them all.
This week’s blog post is about reframing old constructs and setting new intentions. This can apply to many things, but particularly, I’m speaking in regards to the celebration of holidays. This conversation seems timely as we prepare to enter the Holiday season.
As a child, my sister and I were allowed to celebrate Halloween, but we grew up with many friends who were not. Now that I’m a parent, I understand why many choose not to allow their children celebrate it. Historically, it does have a pretty bad meaning. Similarly, Thanksgiving is a holiday we’ve celebrated all our lives but as I’ve learned more about true American history, its’ celebration seems to go against my values. I mean, yes the Pilgrims were showing gratitude for their harvest …but the harvest was on stolen land. Christmas is another holiday that I’m having to reevaluate the reason for celebration. I don’t want to raise a materialistic child. I try so hard not to mess my child up that I think about these types of things. Can you relate?
In the past, I’ve had a hard time deviating from celebration of these holidays all together, so I recently decided to take a different approach. Our words and intentions behind them are so powerful. Two people could literally be saying the same exact thing, but the energy behind it could be completely different. Think about how the same word has multiple definitions in the dictionary. Knowing that I have the power to shift the intention behind my words and actions, I’ve decided to reframe these holidays and set new intentions for what they mean for me and my family.
For Halloween, the focus isn’t on scaring others. Our intention on Halloween is to express our interests through dress up. This is something children do all the time in free play. It’s called play pretend. It’s the same thing. And in going trick or treating we get to meet new people, learn their interests, share ours, and have fun. A couple pieces of candy can be eaten this night (because Kairo doesn’t eat candy any other day), and the rest will be given away and enjoyed by others. Simple. Pure. Fun.
Our intention on Thanksgiving is to gather with loved ones and bask in the high vibration of gratitude. Practicing gratitude is not foreign to us. We express gratitude every day through our prayers, but there is something special (and powerful) about joining together at this high frequency with those we love. It’s a time to reflect on all the blessings we have and will have. Again: Simple, pure, fun.
I love Christmas. I will not deny it. But growing up my mindset was all about getting. Our new intention for Christmas will be to give and express love through gifts and gathering. The focus is on giving to others. What can I give that will make them smile? How can I make their life easier? How can I bring others together in a high vibrational way? It’s not about accumulating more things that will barely get used. It’s about giving practical and thoughtful gifts that show you listen, love, and care for them. It’s also about giving back to those in need. Simple. Pure. Fun.
One of the best things about being a parent is getting to do things your way. If you don’t like how it was done for you, you have the opportunity to change it. You can start something new. You can make a shift. You get to be creative in how you celebrate holidays. You get to start new traditions. You get to redefine.
Before we get heavy into the Holiday season, I invite you to reflect on the energy behind the Holidays you celebrate. Take an opportunity to set new intentions and brainstorm new ways to celebrate. This is your life. You get to do it your way.
Until next time,
Stay ViKtorious, Mama!
