Holiday Depression
Marshall MOPS Meeting Place
Thanksgiving is just now upon us and already I am sick of hearing about "Holiday Depression." It began as I got the december issue of various magazines I subscribe to. Parenting, style and even food magazines are publishing articles on this topic! The cherry on the sunday was when a visiting preacher at our church focused his sermon today on this subject. He talk about christians with "holiday depression." Up until now, I thought maybe all these depressed people were just Godless empty souls. There goes that theory and now frankly, I'm getting depressed!
I can't imagine what could be depressing about the holidays. My life has not always been a rose garden in full bloom. There have been tragedies during the holiday seasons of the past. Personal illness (surgery, radiation and many other things at once), the divorce of my parents and the loss of my mother-in-law are just a few of the things that have plagued christmas'. For us, the holidays made it easier to cope. We found comfort in carrying out the traditions in spite of change. We were able to lose ourselves in the joy of the holidays instead of dwelling on our loss and dissapointments.
When I wish people "Merry Christmas" I do want them to be merry and it saddens me to think they are not. Maybe I am having trouble understanding their point of view as I am generally a happy person. How can we make other people happy? How can we spread joy when its the holiday joy that people find depressing? Are some people just meant to be depressed?
Thanksgiving is just now upon us and already I am sick of hearing about "Holiday Depression." It began as I got the december issue of various magazines I subscribe to. Parenting, style and even food magazines are publishing articles on this topic! The cherry on the sunday was when a visiting preacher at our church focused his sermon today on this subject. He talk about christians with "holiday depression." Up until now, I thought maybe all these depressed people were just Godless empty souls. There goes that theory and now frankly, I'm getting depressed!
I can't imagine what could be depressing about the holidays. My life has not always been a rose garden in full bloom. There have been tragedies during the holiday seasons of the past. Personal illness (surgery, radiation and many other things at once), the divorce of my parents and the loss of my mother-in-law are just a few of the things that have plagued christmas'. For us, the holidays made it easier to cope. We found comfort in carrying out the traditions in spite of change. We were able to lose ourselves in the joy of the holidays instead of dwelling on our loss and dissapointments.
When I wish people "Merry Christmas" I do want them to be merry and it saddens me to think they are not. Maybe I am having trouble understanding their point of view as I am generally a happy person. How can we make other people happy? How can we spread joy when its the holiday joy that people find depressing? Are some people just meant to be depressed?
posted by Christina | 2:34 PM
5 Comments:
I didn't hear the sermon today, but I have heard this topic touched on before. Let me think on it for a while, and I'll get back with you.
CDJ
I think what would depress me is if I lost someone around the holidays. I think it would depress me if I lost someone around any other holiday (other than Christmas), as well.
Yes, I could see that. The death we dealt with was slightly before the holidays and not right in the midst.
Our sunday school teacher lost her husband on T-giving day. She said it was always her favorite holiday and still is. They now use the holiday to be thankful and celebrate his life. It sounds like it is more of a party than ever before. That impressed me.
I just keep thinking of the word "peace" instead of "happiness" as a sort of antonym for depression...being able to say: "It is well with my soul". God is in control, and He loves me. If I didn't rest in this, I would have lost my mind long ago. Jesus said he came to bring peace....but not as the world finds peace. I think alot of people believe that peace is the absense of chaos or tragedy. True peace simply sustains us as we journey through the tough times that WILL come.
Everyone handles loss differently. Dad died 3/95. It rocked my world. Some Father's Days are fine, others have been very sad. At first Christmases were just awkward....Mom wanting to REALLY draw attention to the fact that he was not there, and some of us just wanting to survive the emotional chore of being together and yet incomplete. I also think some people are prone to despondency....so maybe it's a shorter trip to outright depression for them.???
Isn't it interesting that burial stones read "Rest in Peace"...Instead of reading it as a pronouncement of the departed one's destiny, maybe it should be received as instructions for those of us who read the stone. Those of us who are left here to live abundantly a little longer.
Wow, you answered my question very well. It was explained wonderfully. I wish I could forward that to a friend of mine struggling right now. She is prone to depression when things are fine so now that she has an illness, well...you can just imagine. Peace, maybe thats what is missing.
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