It’s November already, and that means we’re already pretty much in Thanksgiving and Christmas mode. Yes, department stores and the like probably hype up the end-of-year holidays a little more than they should--certainly a little earlier than they should--but all in all it’s not that big of a deal. In fact, given the kind of world we live in now, I think that it’s good to look ahead to our holiday season.

It’s no secret that our country is full of divisions. It seems that we disagree with another on a lot of things, with seemingly no in-between or area of compromise. Not at all a good climate to be in at this point in the year.

But our end-of-year festivities and fun don’t have to be obstructed by hatred or petty conflict. I think we have to really understand the roots of this time of the year to for once coexist peacefully.

If you ask me, I think the holidays aren’t so much about giving. Yes, a lot of it involves getting things for people, being compassionate and so on, but I see the holidays as being about something even harder to swallow.

Having lived with three other siblings for most of my life is, in itself, a challenge. We butt heads, we bicker, we disagree with one another on a lot of things. We still do. Yet, in spite of that, we don’t lose sight of the importance of family, of staying together. Alienating others does nothing but worsen already tense conditions, especially when you’re talking about family.

I’ve found that we stick together because we make sacrifices. And that to me is what our holidays stand for: the act of giving up, not just giving to people.

Anybody, even the most horrible person on the planet, can just randomly give you something. Putting it that way, however, makes the act of giving sound like routine, like a faceless obligation that we just blindly follow. Giving something up is a lot harder to do--but yet, it’s the right thing to do.

You have to mean it. You have to mean what you say when you give to someone by putting in the effort, the time, the patience. Whether we’re dedicating time and effort to getting that special gift or even just being a good listener or confidant, we have to acknowledge that no man is an island, especially at this time of the year.

To push divisive political agendas, dismiss the people we don’t agree with or don’t like, or get angry at the world for its flaws is simply being selfish and mean-spirited. These actions nullify any goodwill we could potentially have.

It’s difficult to sacrifice, to compromise, to admit you’re wrong, or to give something up. I for one know that all too well. But it’s part of being human. It’s part of living in a highly complex society of people with various beliefs and backgrounds. It’s part of being a better person.

And isn’t that what the holidays are all about?