I am a real killjoy! I don’t give presents and ask people not to give to me. But this makes me more relaxed over the holiday period and able to enjoy others more.
Thank you Tess for this very timely message. We as a family are following your advise. We are making our own gifts and are watching our spending to remain debt free. Watching our eating habits is a big part of our life by staying away from sugary and highly processed foods. I do believe by doing this you will experience the depression people feel after Christmas. (especially in January)
Once upon a time, way back in the early days of Christianity, long before the separation of the church in Rome from the churches in Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria, there were well established fasting periods of 40 days before the two main feasts : Easter, and then Christmas.
Now, if you have fasted, for 40 days, from all meat, eggs, fish, milk, butter, and cheese, then, come the feasts of Easter and Christmas, the simple act of once again enjoying those everyday, normal foodstuffs was, in itself, a feast. An absolute feast!
Now, however, all that remains is the half remembered knowledge that, at Christmas, our palates expect pleasurable treats.
But, because we have not fasted, we have to go into gastronomic overdrive in order to ratchet up the pleasure of our normal, everyday, excessive eating. Otherwise, where's the feast?
So, we over indulge
...usually resulting in gluttony... which is not actually a pleasure at all. In fact, the final outcome is usually not a pleasant one.
And all the buying and all the preparing and cooking is costly, and exhausting!
So, yes...keep it simple.
And why not try fasting for the 6 weeks beforehand! Orthodox Christians do. Every year.
Yes gluttony is one of the "seven deadly sins." And in the Eastern Churches there are also other times to fast during the year. the Great Lent, prior to Easter.
Indeed...the 40 days ( plus some😊) leading up to Easter. Then there's the 2 week, mid summer fast before the Feast of the Dormition. And the Apostles' fast, in June.
Actually, over all, for the Orthodox there are more fasting days each year than non fasting days! 😅
Yes I agree with everything you say - it just feels so commercialised now and too much pressure…hard to feel motivated about it all now I’m older. I hear this from many now. Thank you for this reminder, especially about the gifts thing 🌹😊🙏
The best gift my terrific wife of 43 years and I ever gave each other was when we agreed to stop buying each other gifts for Christmas and birthdays. When we want something a bit extravagant, we'll use the fact we skip all those usually unwanted gifts and splurge on what we really want, instead. For us at least, it's much better this way.
as a Follower of Christ for some 30+ years I could not agree more. Christmas is not the birth of Jesus Christ but a pagan holiday of Satan, Santa or the Snake, all 5 letter words beginning with an "S" the sound a Serpent makes. Hopefully most of the World have come to realize why Big HARMA and Western Medicine use a Serpent in their Logo, Ask why, it goes all the way back to the Garden.
"MISTAKES WERE NOT MADE"
Because of disobedience Adam & Eve took of the forbidden fruit which allowed Sin to enter into the World and know that Evil continues to hide in plain sight. Satan was allowed dominion by the One and Only Most High God. Satan is not God the Creator but a fallen Angel kicked out of Heaven but he was allowed dominion in this world because he was a creation of the Most High God, so he and his other 1/3 angels or 33.33% were banished from Heaven. Please forgive me I'm no biblical scholar like my Greek friend who has a PhD in Theology.
Know also Christ's age when Crucified was 33. God's number is 3 for the Trinity, so Satan who is the imposter god created his mirror 3, a Trilogy of perhaps for LSD, or Lucifer, Satan and the Devil...? ASK WHY is the Highest level in Freemasons the 33degree? To Mock the Crucifixion of Christ, the 1/3 Angels who were banished, and then to imposter GOD'S 3 with his own 3.
Just another tidbit of info for your Holly Days, like Hollywood which comes out to #33, kiss under the Holly, did you know Satanic rituals were done around the wood of the Holly tree...? Also young Steve Jobs said that "taking "LSD" was the most profound experience in his life". Did you know the very first apple computer "desktop" sold for $666.66, ask why the logo is an apple and their newer "Logo" reveals a bite missing...? but it's just more conspiracy theories so just ignore it and buy your kids the most up to date iPhone 33 to track and trace them so they'll never get lost because our government loves us and is not trying to fulfill the Georgia Guidestones of Democide and leave only 500million which is written in stone. Built on 3-22-1980, like Genesis 3:22 and why Yales Secret Society Skull and Bones have a 322 under their Logo.
Sorry this comment was only meant to agree with Tess, to say Thank You, to Send Hugs & Love to all and to Cherish each day and not "buy" buying replacement stuff instead of your time and love, remember you are never promised a tomorrow in this world. Today 8 years ago on 12-14-16 my daughter at the age of 22 died in a hiking accident in Hawaii while on Christmas break from Seattle where she was getting her Masters in Criminal Justice. I also know that Tess understands the loss of a child, her son Samson ❤️. Please Love Others instead you never know when God may take them home.
Great advice. Some easier to do than others. My wife goes batty with baking for X-mass and it's sometimes sugar related. No amazon if I can help it. Trying to go local but it gets expensive. No tech upgrades until something breaks or the technology is too old to work.
Debt is under control, however it seems that getting something paid off and then a new thing pops up. I'd just as soon chuck the holidays but wife and family are still into them. December 26th is my holiday...that means it all over and I don't care about new year's nonsense.
this is very beautiful..thanks f0r sharing.. my husband and I live in Tennessee and d0n't celebrate any 0f the h0lidays as m0st d0.. we usually g0 f0r a hike in the m0untains with 0ur d0gs and it is grand.. we pack a healthy lunch and enj0y the many gifts that are given t0 us freely... we are grateful we d0 n0t feel the push 0r the pull t0 f0ll0w the cr0wd.. l0ve t0 all
Please Don't Feed the Beast at Any time of the Year, that is the solution, but only to the entities or companies that are against us, feed the ones who are for us.... Its bad enough they are using our TAX money against us to enslave us, through our Taxes, the UN-WHO Pandemic Treaty and Climate SCAM, I always wished we could decide on a personal level like donating to charities, where you wanted your tax money to go to.. A Trillion dollar defense budget, not for our defense, but to put money in EVIL ELITE rich peoples pockets. There needs to be a massive massive change to the congress, senate, supreme court, and all government entities, enough is enough.. Any bureaucrat who works against us and for a secret hidden allegiance to some EVIL organization, needs to be locked up for treason..
I am a real killjoy! I don’t give presents and ask people not to give to me. But this makes me more relaxed over the holiday period and able to enjoy others more.
Thank you Tess for this very timely message. We as a family are following your advise. We are making our own gifts and are watching our spending to remain debt free. Watching our eating habits is a big part of our life by staying away from sugary and highly processed foods. I do believe by doing this you will experience the depression people feel after Christmas. (especially in January)
Was recently lamenting the onslaught of Christmas Season.
I'm bowing out.
Me too , for the reasons Tess discussed… thank u Dr. Lawrie
I needed to see this today. Thank you Dr Lawrie. Happy, Healthy and Merry Christmas to all.
Once upon a time, way back in the early days of Christianity, long before the separation of the church in Rome from the churches in Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria, there were well established fasting periods of 40 days before the two main feasts : Easter, and then Christmas.
Now, if you have fasted, for 40 days, from all meat, eggs, fish, milk, butter, and cheese, then, come the feasts of Easter and Christmas, the simple act of once again enjoying those everyday, normal foodstuffs was, in itself, a feast. An absolute feast!
Now, however, all that remains is the half remembered knowledge that, at Christmas, our palates expect pleasurable treats.
But, because we have not fasted, we have to go into gastronomic overdrive in order to ratchet up the pleasure of our normal, everyday, excessive eating. Otherwise, where's the feast?
So, we over indulge
...usually resulting in gluttony... which is not actually a pleasure at all. In fact, the final outcome is usually not a pleasant one.
And all the buying and all the preparing and cooking is costly, and exhausting!
So, yes...keep it simple.
And why not try fasting for the 6 weeks beforehand! Orthodox Christians do. Every year.
Merry Christmas!
Yes gluttony is one of the "seven deadly sins." And in the Eastern Churches there are also other times to fast during the year. the Great Lent, prior to Easter.
But...they each end in a FEAST!! 😊
Indeed...the 40 days ( plus some😊) leading up to Easter. Then there's the 2 week, mid summer fast before the Feast of the Dormition. And the Apostles' fast, in June.
Actually, over all, for the Orthodox there are more fasting days each year than non fasting days! 😅
Thank you for the inspiring message as always Dr. Lawrie. Many Blessings
Yes I agree with everything you say - it just feels so commercialised now and too much pressure…hard to feel motivated about it all now I’m older. I hear this from many now. Thank you for this reminder, especially about the gifts thing 🌹😊🙏
The best gift my terrific wife of 43 years and I ever gave each other was when we agreed to stop buying each other gifts for Christmas and birthdays. When we want something a bit extravagant, we'll use the fact we skip all those usually unwanted gifts and splurge on what we really want, instead. For us at least, it's much better this way.
Tess
You are so right. I/ we in our family will try to follow your suggestions.
John
Mahalo Tess,
as a Follower of Christ for some 30+ years I could not agree more. Christmas is not the birth of Jesus Christ but a pagan holiday of Satan, Santa or the Snake, all 5 letter words beginning with an "S" the sound a Serpent makes. Hopefully most of the World have come to realize why Big HARMA and Western Medicine use a Serpent in their Logo, Ask why, it goes all the way back to the Garden.
"MISTAKES WERE NOT MADE"
Because of disobedience Adam & Eve took of the forbidden fruit which allowed Sin to enter into the World and know that Evil continues to hide in plain sight. Satan was allowed dominion by the One and Only Most High God. Satan is not God the Creator but a fallen Angel kicked out of Heaven but he was allowed dominion in this world because he was a creation of the Most High God, so he and his other 1/3 angels or 33.33% were banished from Heaven. Please forgive me I'm no biblical scholar like my Greek friend who has a PhD in Theology.
Know also Christ's age when Crucified was 33. God's number is 3 for the Trinity, so Satan who is the imposter god created his mirror 3, a Trilogy of perhaps for LSD, or Lucifer, Satan and the Devil...? ASK WHY is the Highest level in Freemasons the 33degree? To Mock the Crucifixion of Christ, the 1/3 Angels who were banished, and then to imposter GOD'S 3 with his own 3.
Just another tidbit of info for your Holly Days, like Hollywood which comes out to #33, kiss under the Holly, did you know Satanic rituals were done around the wood of the Holly tree...? Also young Steve Jobs said that "taking "LSD" was the most profound experience in his life". Did you know the very first apple computer "desktop" sold for $666.66, ask why the logo is an apple and their newer "Logo" reveals a bite missing...? but it's just more conspiracy theories so just ignore it and buy your kids the most up to date iPhone 33 to track and trace them so they'll never get lost because our government loves us and is not trying to fulfill the Georgia Guidestones of Democide and leave only 500million which is written in stone. Built on 3-22-1980, like Genesis 3:22 and why Yales Secret Society Skull and Bones have a 322 under their Logo.
Sorry this comment was only meant to agree with Tess, to say Thank You, to Send Hugs & Love to all and to Cherish each day and not "buy" buying replacement stuff instead of your time and love, remember you are never promised a tomorrow in this world. Today 8 years ago on 12-14-16 my daughter at the age of 22 died in a hiking accident in Hawaii while on Christmas break from Seattle where she was getting her Masters in Criminal Justice. I also know that Tess understands the loss of a child, her son Samson ❤️. Please Love Others instead you never know when God may take them home.
Sending Aloha, Love and Hugs kyle
and remember that...
Yesterday was a gift...
Today is an opportunity...
Tomorrow never promised...
Live Life, Love Others & leave no Regrets...
Couldn’t agree more Tess. What a lovely reminder. Thank you and well wishes to you and to all of us. 💚
Great advice. Some easier to do than others. My wife goes batty with baking for X-mass and it's sometimes sugar related. No amazon if I can help it. Trying to go local but it gets expensive. No tech upgrades until something breaks or the technology is too old to work.
Debt is under control, however it seems that getting something paid off and then a new thing pops up. I'd just as soon chuck the holidays but wife and family are still into them. December 26th is my holiday...that means it all over and I don't care about new year's nonsense.
this is very beautiful..thanks f0r sharing.. my husband and I live in Tennessee and d0n't celebrate any 0f the h0lidays as m0st d0.. we usually g0 f0r a hike in the m0untains with 0ur d0gs and it is grand.. we pack a healthy lunch and enj0y the many gifts that are given t0 us freely... we are grateful we d0 n0t feel the push 0r the pull t0 f0ll0w the cr0wd.. l0ve t0 all
Please Don't Feed the Beast at Any time of the Year, that is the solution, but only to the entities or companies that are against us, feed the ones who are for us.... Its bad enough they are using our TAX money against us to enslave us, through our Taxes, the UN-WHO Pandemic Treaty and Climate SCAM, I always wished we could decide on a personal level like donating to charities, where you wanted your tax money to go to.. A Trillion dollar defense budget, not for our defense, but to put money in EVIL ELITE rich peoples pockets. There needs to be a massive massive change to the congress, senate, supreme court, and all government entities, enough is enough.. Any bureaucrat who works against us and for a secret hidden allegiance to some EVIL organization, needs to be locked up for treason..
Xmas is for 5 year olds
Dear Tess,
Thank you so much for all the wonderfull work you do for us. May God Bless you and Protect you always.
Paul in NZ