“City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
dressed in holiday style
In the air there’s feeling of Christmas”
from Silver Bells by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Have you ever noticed how people are more positive this time of year? There seems to be a certain special glow that is hard to explain and almost impossible to miss. Sure, we hear the negative stories about shoppers being rude, or the sad tale of a family who has lost their home; but for the most part, December is the one month of the year where there is a spiritual positivity bounce.
It is “the holidays” and from Buddhists to Zoroastrians, and many beliefs in between, the month of December holds a wide variety of holidays. From the Zoroastrian’s Winter’s Feast to the bounty of a Christian Christmas banquet table groaning with the weight of food; around the world the month is full of celebrations and holy holidays giving it a tremendous and huge positivity bounce.
Positivity – Some December Holiday Observances:
Beginning at sundown on the second, those of the Jewish faith celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. Buddhists celebrate Bodhi Day (the day that the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, experienced enlightenment on the 8th. On the same day, Sikhism commemorates the Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (Bikarami).
On the sixteenth Hindus celebrate Dhanu Sankranti, and celebrate their Sun God. Then, on the eighteenth, they celebrate the birthday of one of their most sacred texts, the Bhabvad Gita.
The twenty-first is sacred to both Pagans (Litha – Summer Solstice – Southern Hemisphere or Yule – Winter Solstice – Northern Hemisphere) and Celticism. The followers of Celticism celebrate the Solstice – Alban Arthuan in the Northern Hemisphere, and Alban Heruin in the Southern Hemisphere.
Christians around the world are celebrating the coming of their Savior on the twenty-fifth. On the twenty-sixth, Zoroastrians commemorate the death of Zarathushtra, and the celebrate mid-year/winter feast from December thirty-first through January 4, 2019. This only accounts for a little more than half of the religious holidays in the month. By some estimates.
The Positivity Bounce
With all these celebrations and observances, there is an overall positive energy building throughout the month, gaining more depth and power. The revelry and merriment comes from literally billions of people on the planet celebrating! That is a lot of positive energy floating around. Happiness and love are very powerful emotions and they are exhibited in big amounts when sharing your holiday with family and friends.
So, if you are getting frustrated standing in line, waiting for a cab, or at the check-out line in the gift store, tap in to the positivity bounce of the season to help you gain just a little more patience and, hopefully, more enjoyment of the season. Better yet, you can add to the positivity bounce of the month of December by doing simple little things. Hold the door for someone, give the mother with the overly-excited child a commiserating smile, reach out to friends or family you have not seen in a while. Let your positivity help add to the bounce!
All of us here at Oranum wish you the greatest of positivity bounces in 2020!
