Ask Sam: Opt Out

The fall and winter season, time for your favorite sweater and fabulous boots!

From the moment Summer is over it’s a flurry of action, holidays and snow!

Many of these highly social festivals may have been man’s way of creating coping mechanisms for the gloomy dark months. Delightful in theory if it did not produce so much stress. If only there was another way… Bears are smart they Hibernate. An entire season of beauty sleep! Sounds great!

Growing up in Boston, Thanksgiving was one of my favorite holidays. Thanksgiving to me has always been a holiday not only about family and the sharing of food, but also an immigrant holiday. A day when we can honor our families who came to the New World whether by Mayflower or Jet Blue. The move to start a new life in a new place takes Moxie. Sharing an abundant harvest with neighbors, friends, and loved ones is lovely. But sometimes the holiday season can be a little too much, stress, calories, shopping…everything!

Times Square is even more crowded than usual as throngs of tourists get a glimpse of Broadway

and maybe take in a big budget spectacular. Between the Rockettes and ‘The Tree’ Rockefeller Center is a mob scene. 5th Avenue becomes so crowded with holiday shoppers and big window display onlookers, that trying to find a party frock or a gift is more of a pain than a pleasure.

These days it seems Thanksgiving is about football and over eating. It’s time consuming and expensive. Its centered around buying loads of food, cooking cleaning, baking and more cleaning. For many, it may include the uncomfortable moments that can come with family gatherings. 4th quarter earnings have become so important that many employees, don’t even get Thanksgiving or Christmas off.

This year I choose to just opt out! Opting out is a fabulous technique for dealing with holiday stress! I wish I had thought of this years ago! The holidays have become so commercial, there is so much social pressure on people. What a delight simply opting out can be! I feel like opting out of holidays is what elopement is to weddings. Unconventional, but a fun option!

Just thinking about all of the holidays during the fall and winter makes me tired.

From Rosh Hashanah to New Year’s it’s nonstop.

This Holiday season I will escape to the tropics. While others are stressing on the inside, doing their best to seem cheery on the outside, I will be coconut in hand, feet in the pool! I won’t miss the expense, hassle, obligations, nor the minefield of diet pitfalls!

Most people gain weight over the next couple of months. Running on the beach and detoxing on fresh pineapple seems like a better plan to me this year.

Sometime the best holiday is to take care of one’s self. Take a step back and remember that it’s just a day. The sun will rise again tomorrow. On an up note. If you choose not to opt out, make the best of it. Make the rounds, see your friends and indulge in something you want to do. Make some happy memories. Maybe there is a MeetUp for people who would rather watch “The Grinch who stole Christmas” while drinking good wine and rooting for the Grinch!

Happy Holidays!