Not All Christmas Lights Burn Bright

My daughter Kate has gone cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs over Christmas  lights.  They are her singular focus these days and it's fun to see.  We laughed at Clark Griswold's effort to light up his house in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and we check out all the displays we see as we make our way around town.  We are making fun memories but not all lights shine bright for everyone.

Psychologists say holiday decorations can legitimately bring feelings of joy for some, and it's all because they bring back memories. According to Yahoo News, Dr. Krystine Batcho points out "In our childhood, or in our younger days, those decorations were followed by good things, such as the coming together of family, good food, exchanging presents – all kinds of great, happy things. By classical conditioning, then, those decorations take on those properties of elevating our mood."

However, if someone has experienced a traumatic event around the holidays, holiday lights could trigger the "holiday blues."  The experts say to reach out to others to avoid the holiday blues--whether it's a professional for counseling, or just friends and family.

With support and time, perhaps the bright lights of Christmas that bring sadness for some today, may one day be seen as the light at the end of the tunnel of depression and loss.

The Yahoo News article concludes "Even if someone doesn’t have financial resources or expertise or time to donate to a cause or to give to others, there are so many ways we can reach out to others that cost nothing at all. One example of that is simply being kind."