It’s the most wonderful time of the year. With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, everyone’s starting to get into the spirit of such joyous occasions.

Mouths are salivating over the thought of a feast consisting of savory and sweet American traditions with friends and families coming together around the table to enjoy each other’s company. The season is filled with ice skaters, popsicle lickers and warm huggers for all to enjoy. Everything seems perfect. And then, there’s me.

It is now a revealed truth that I do not bond well with special holidays and occasions. I always find myself not being in the right mood or position to enjoy something that seems simple enough for everyone else. Halloween doesn’t interest me, Thanksgiving makes me fat, Christmas and New Year’s often leave me in solitude, and for Valentine’s Day? Well, yeah.

Being thousands of miles away from my family during these occasions doesn’t help it as well. It’s funny how my family seems more fun to hang around with when I’m not actually with them; c’est la vie. You must think of me as a depressing young man who is unable to enjoy the simple things in life then, right? I won’t blame you if you think that way, I do.

The key to enjoying the holidays is often seen as a cause and effect method. We come up with things to occupy these special days so that we can reap the rewards in good faith and company. Candy and costumes for Halloween, food for Thanksgiving, chocolate and flowers for Valentine’s and a great, big celebratory event for New Year’s. If we treat these days like any other day, well it would just be like…any other day.

I’ve started to miss my family over the last few days, especially my 11-year-old brother, who is growing up to become a well-respected young man. He deserves to be celebrated for the magnificent, intelligent young boy that he is and all I can think about right now is to give him a big brother hug.

When it comes down to it, the holidays are not what they are intended to be about. Yes, they have all the glitz and glamour that captivates you visually and aesthetically, but without your family to enjoy with, then what you are celebrating is an empty void being filled with unnecessary externalities that only helps to numb the pain for a brief moment.

Take this holiday period and do something simple with it for my sake: enjoy it with your family. When you’re around people that you love, the food seems less fatty, the desserts more scrumptious and that fire keeping you and everyone else warm just lightens up the atmosphere and gives you the assurance that anything, and everything, will be alright.
[email protected]