So, is it just me, or does it not quite feel like the holiday season? Last week, I was talking to some of my friends and family about what the holidays mean to us. Many of us didn’t have a straight answer. Some people let stress around this time of the year get the best of them. Most of us don’t take time to sit back, take a deep breath, and enjoy what the holidays really mean.

For me, the holidays have always been about spending quality time with my family, and of course catching up on sleep. During the year, my family’s schedules clash and we often don’t have adequate time to spend with each other. But during the holiday season, my family and I have a chance to regroup and really appreciate one another.

Stress or no stress, a new year is approaching, and we all have things that we can be thankful for. For one, we were all able to make it through another year. We also probably have things that we would like to do differently, or that we didn’t have a chance to do in 2009. So, with that being said, I encourage everybody to let go of the stress just for enough time to reflect on the year you’ve had, and to be thankful for everything that you’ve accomplished. Too often, we lose sight of what’s important about the holidays. Try to do something different this holiday season. If the holidays don’t feel the same, consider starting a new family tradition, or rekindle old family traditions and remember what the holidays really mean to you.

-Ty