Goodbye Turkeys, Hello Christmas Lights

Typically, the holiday season is one centered around gift giving. Everywhere you look, you see lower prices, gift boxes, and commercials urging you to skip the letter to Santa and buy whatever it is yourself.

With all these distractions, it's hard sometimes to focus on what really matters about the holidays. Instead of watching the commercials and hitting up the mall, we should be looking out our windows and enjoying the decorations littering the yards of our neighbors as we put up our own.

My personal favorite decorations for this time of year are the lights that brighten up our city. It's like one day the street is flooded with cars visiting for Thanksgiving, and the next it's overridden with holiday lights and blow up snowmen. But the best part about these lights isn't their illumination. I like them because no matter what color, shape, or holiday they represent, they all brighten up our lives as they shine light on our streets.

These holiday decorations remind us that we are in the season of giving. Not just of giving presents and money, but of spreading holiday cheer and happiness too.

This is the season that encourages us to be decent to one another unconditionally, and smile as we pass each other on the street. It reminds us that we can give our time as a present to local charities, and spend a day or two volunteering to make our community a better place.

And so, this holiday season, remember that it isn't just about pretty lights or a few days of vacation. It's also about giving. Seize the power of the holidays, and know you can make someones day even just a little bit better with the gift of a simple smile.