Most people my age receive money, technology, clothing, or something expensive as gifts. In my house this Christmas I received a cardigan, a pair of leggings, and $60, and I'm okay with that.
Family is a Gift of it's Own
Saying this seems kind of odd for two reasons.
1. There is always family
2. I only have my immediate family, and two people in my extended family we actually talk to.
But here I am, going to continue to preach about how important family is on the holidays.
My immediate family and I stayed home for Christmas. We did not go to the dreaded extended family get together everyone is oh-so familiar with. I sat at the six seated dining table with my parents and my two brothers with an empty chair, yet the room still felt full. My family is full of passive aggressive jokes that nobody else but us would find humorous. I bring this to your attention because without my family being around me, I feel as if Christmas would fall apart. After my grandfather passed several years back, my extended family and us broke apart. I haven't had a conversation with my cousin since, and those past years felt different, but this year I realized the ones I have around me are the ones that matter most.
Be Appreciative Yet Considerate of Others
Whether you get thousands of dollars worth of gifts or nothing at all, please do not be upset. The holiday season is an intense one, and if you are alive it is a gift itself. If you do get a large sum of gifts, try not to brag about them or make everyone you know be aware. There are many people who have not and will not have a christmas, and these people might be very unhappy during these colder months because of several factors. Making your life seem to be better or superior to theirs will not help. It may seem great to you, but there are 7 billion people on this planet, try not to act like you are the only one that matters.
I have been privileged to attend a school like Ball State, and I have been gifted the ability to continue for at least another semester after having concern otherwise. Life is a gift, education is a gift, a job is a gift, a home is a gift, family is a gift, please try to make the most of what you have.
