Like every year, Christmas always sneaks up and suddenly you’re confronted with one of the most important tasks of the season: gift shopping.
The shopping malls are crowded, everything seems to be on sale, and above all, you feel that the gift should be sustainable. Finding something that benefits your wallet and the environment is hard. But fear not! This year, I’ve created a checklist to make finding the right present easier for you.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your boughs can teach a lesson
That constant faith and hope sublime
Lend strength and comfort through all time.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your boughs can teach a lesson.
When I was a child, Christmas meant presents. It also meant going to our small town Christmas market. There, we boarded a tiny train to take us for rides around the church. Santa then showed up and gave us chocolate Santas, deep-fried pastries, and gingerbread – anything sweet a child’s heart could wish for. Of course, there was also a beautiful Christmas tree. However, we had something that made my Christmas experience truly different from that of most children in the United States – a Christmas pyramid.
Everyone has a friend who hates Christmas. Guess what? I’m that friend. The first time I told a friend of mine that I dislike Christmas, I could see pure confusion in her eyes. She started asking me why, what happened, and if I had any trauma. At first, I thought that not liking it was wrong. I mean, how can someone not like the most wonderful time of the year? Then, I came to a conclusion: it’s because of society. Have you ever noticed what happens after Thanksgiving?
We’ve all watched the movie, and we’ve all agreed on the same story: he’s the buzzkill, the bad guy trying to ruin Christmas. But what if the Grinch was actually just depressed?
I know you might think it’s a bit far-fetched, so let me give you some facts that’ll prove my point. First, he’s cooped up in a bleak cave. Also, self-loathing and hateful speech are the only languages he knows, and social interaction makes his skin crawl. Add a grain of traumatic experiences to the mix, and there you have a perfect recipe for depression.
It must be difficult to see the mean, grumpy villain in a different light and sympathize with him, so let’s try to find out where it all comes from.
