For many people, celebrating the holidays this year will be particularly festive. After the tragedy and turmoil of 2020, being able to gather with friends and loved ones, even while being cautious, has more meaning, and joy, than ever before. A sense of normalcy is slowly returning, even though the pandemic may not be completely in the past.

When it comes to holiday traditions, it’s easy to take them for granted, until something unexpected, like the pandemic, takes them away. Sharing traditions with those we love becomes even more precious than any gifts we may give or get. That’s why there’s a collective level of excitement growing as we approach the end of this year.

Another Perspective

But for some people, the holidays have a different meaning, regardless of the year. Not everyone is willing or able to celebrate, and some have very personal reasons for not participating.

How and why one chooses to celebrate, or not celebrate the holidays, is an intensely personal thing. It may be cultural, it could be religious, or it may simply be personal preference. But when something is as pervasive in society as is our annual ramp up to the grand finale of New Year’s Eve, and all the hectic activity in between, it can take a toll on a person’s attitude.

Holiday Overload

I must confess that as I’ve gotten older, I am less interested in the holiday hubbub. Decorating feels like a chore; shopping for gifts becomes a race against time. Endless holiday-themed commercials become even more annoying than pharmaceutical ads, and I swear, if I hear “Winter Wonderland” one…more…time…

But then, when Christmas is almost here, a yearning comes from somewhere deep inside, and I find myself searching closets for that old DVD of Rudolph, or the Grinch, or Charlie Brown. I actually look forward to exchanging gifts, because the pressure to find and wrap them is over. Seeing little kids getting all excited over the lights, or going to see Santa, melts my irritation away, and I find myself enjoying the holidays once more.

So now I try every year to not let cynicism take over, and to enjoy the little things.

Deep As Snow

But some people have more serious issues with the holidays, and that is what prompted me to write the short stories that comprise my holiday novella, Running In Snow. Sometimes, past trauma can make it difficult for people to enjoy the holidays. I’ve had a few unpleasant holidays in my past, so I wondered what it would be like for someone who refused to celebrate, but was in a situation where they had to?

What on earth would make them go through with it?

That was the basis for Noelle’s Promise, the first short story. Noelle had some serious trauma around Christmas from her childhood, to the point where she would not participate at all. Not with friends, not at work, not in any way. She simply avoided it.  

But when she fell in love, her life changed. Should she continue to ignore the holidays, or try to join in her boyfriend Logan’s family celebrations? She makes a valiant effort to do so, but things don’t go as planned. Through a series of unexpected and almost tragic events, Noelle discovers that the way past your fears is to go right through them.

Eve’s Hope, the second short holiday story, is about a woman who believes she is cursed. Every New Year’s Eve, something goes wrong. When her heater goes out in a rare Atlanta snowstorm, her handsome neighbor, Kirk, comes to the rescue by inviting her to his party. She makes the best of it, hoping to get through the night without her bad luck kicking in. Let’s just say there’s a few surprises in store before the clock strikes midnight.

(Side note- a book signing I had planned when I launched this book was cancelled—due to a rare snowstorm in Atlanta! I kid you not. My tweet about it went viral, and there was even an article about it in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Oh, the irony!)

I enjoyed writing these emotional holiday tales because I was able to explore those feelings of dread I get every year, but still end up on a happy note. Do you ever experience negative feelings around the holidays? How do you cope?

Running In Snow is available on Amazon for just .99, and is also in Kindle Unlimited. I sincerely hope you enjoy the holidays, however you choose to spend them!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FH1P65