{"id":419,"date":"2023-11-27T20:12:11","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T03:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/?p=419"},"modified":"2023-12-01T16:44:07","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T23:44:07","slug":"a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Let’s Ditch Consumerism for a Soulful Approach to the Holiday Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

The leftover turkey is in the refrigerator. Friends and family have gone home, and the season of gratitude has been replaced by twinkling lights, snowflakes, and merry melodies. At this time of year, it\u2019s easy to get swept up in the whirlwind of sales catalogs and shopping mania. But hold on to your reindeer hats and jingle bells, folks! Before this gets out of control, let\u2019s take a step back and consider the true essence of the upcoming winter holiday season.<\/p>\n

The Great Gift Galore<\/strong><\/h2>\n Ah, the holiday gift-giving frenzy! It\u2019s like a competitive sport where the first prize goes to the one with the biggest mountain of presents under the tree. We\u2019ve all witnessed this spectacle grow with the ferocity of a snowball rolling down a hill \u2013 and, at one time or another, we\u2019ve all found ourselves standing in a crowded mall with gift lists longer than Santa\u2019s Naughty & Nice database. Just thinking about it is exhausting!<\/p>\n Instead of racing to find the perfect gift for every distant relative and long-lost friend, let\u2019s take a deep breath. The best gifts aren\u2019t always the shiniest or the most expensive. Sometimes, they\u2019re the ones that make us laugh, bring back cherished memories, or create new ones. So, let\u2019s exchange the stress of gift-giving for the joy of thoughtful, meaningful surprises. Remember, it\u2019s not the size of the gift but the size of the heart that truly matters.<\/p>\n And here\u2019s a secret: a perfectly imperfect holiday is often the most memorable one. Sometimes, less is more, and the true magic of the season is found in the cozy, imperfect corners of our lives. So, go ahead, let the tinsel cascade, the cookies crumble, and the laughter flow freely. And, if the Ghost of Consumerism Past tries to haunt you into buying everything from inflatable snow globes to battery-operated singing ornaments, let yourself have a chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Do you really need that singing, dancing, twerking snowman for the front yard? Perhaps not. Maybe, just maybe, we can all find joy in simple pleasures\u2014a cozy cup of cocoa, a warm blanket, and a classic holiday movie on TV. After all, the best things in life aren\u2019t often found on a store shelf.<\/p>\n Celebrating the Kaleidoscope of Traditions<\/strong><\/h2>\n The winter holidays were never meant to be about consumerism. Just take a look at the kaleidoscope of traditions, beliefs, and celebrations from around the world.\u00a0 While gift-giving is often a part of their celebrations, the essence of these holidays goes far beyond material gain, emphasizing life-enhancing values and spiritual significance. For example:<\/p>\n Christmas<\/a> (Christianity):<\/strong> This holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and is a time for Christians to focus on the message of love, hope, and salvation. While gift-giving is a cherished tradition, the core of Christmas lies in celebrating the birth of the Savior and the spiritual wonder of this event. It serves as a reminder of the importance of compassion, love, and goodwill toward all, mirroring the teachings of Jesus.<\/p>\n Hanukkah<\/a> (Judaism):<\/strong> Known as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the oil lamp in the Jewish Temple. While the lighting of the menorah and the exchange of gifts are aspects, Hanukkah carries a deeper meaning. It symbolizes the resilience of the Jewish people in the face of adversity, the triumph of light over darkness, and the preservation of faith and culture.<\/p>\n Diwali<\/a> (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism):<\/strong> Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a time for celebrating the victory of light over darkness, good over evil. While gift-giving is part of the festivities, Diwali emphasizes inner illumination and the triumph of righteousness. It encourages self-reflection, renewal of relationships, and acts of charity, highlighting the values of love, unity, and the pursuit of inner light.<\/p>\n Kwanzaa<\/a> (African American):<\/strong> Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday that spans from December 26th to January 1st. It emphasizes principles such as unity, self-determination, and collective responsibility. While it includes gift-giving, Kwanzaa is primarily about reinforcing the bonds of family and community, celebrating African heritage, and promoting social awareness and responsibility.<\/p>\n Winter Solstice<\/a> (Various):<\/strong> Celebrated in various ways by different cultures, the Winter Solstice marks a time of rebirth, renewal, and the return of longer days. While some traditions involve gift exchanges, the focus is primarily on acknowledging the natural cycles of the Earth and finding hope in the midst of darkness. It\u2019s a reminder of our connection to the cosmos and the beauty of seasonal transitions.<\/p>\n Bodhi Day (Buddhism)<\/a>:<\/strong> Bodhi Day commemorates the day when Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. While gift-giving is not a prominent aspect, this holiday underscores the pursuit of spiritual awakening, mindfulness, and the development of inner wisdom. It encourages practitioners to reflect on their own path towards enlightenment.<\/p>\n Yule (Pagan)<\/a>:<\/strong> Yule, celebrated around the Winter Solstice, focuses on the rebirth of the sun, symbolizing hope and the return of light. While some modern Pagan traditions may involve gift-giving, the heart of Yule lies in connecting with nature, honoring ancestral traditions, and celebrating the cyclical nature of life. It\u2019s a time of reflection and renewal.<\/p>\n (Islam)<\/strong> While Islam does not have a celebration that falls during this time of year, it has similar traditions. Click here for a great article<\/a> about the ways in which Muslims celebrate generosity, gift-giving, and compassion.<\/p>\n Unwrapping the Real Magic<\/strong><\/h2>\n****** ** As we gently peel away the layers of commercialism that often cloak the holiday season, we discover something magical\u2014a universal spirit of love, compassion, and connection that transcends the chaos and clutter. It\u2019s the laughter around the dinner table, the twinkle in a child\u2019s eye as they open a simple gift, and the warmth of a hug from a loved one.<\/p>\n ** This year, let\u2019s be mindful of the Grinchy grasp of materialism and, instead, let\u2019s celebrate the diverse traditions that make this season a beautiful mosaic of humanity. We have the wisdom to see through the holiday hoopla and embrace the heart of the season\u2014the joy of being together, the warmth of giving, and the laughter that fills our homes. Here\u2019s to a holiday season filled with the kind of magic that only human interaction can bring. Cheers to unwrapping the real magic of the holidays!<\/p>\n ** \n ** <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ** ******The leftover turkey is in the refrigerator. Friends and family have gone home, and the season of gratitude has been replaced by twinkling lights, snowflakes, and merry melodies. At this time of year, it\u2019s easy to get swept up in the whirlwind of sales catalogs and shopping mania. But hold on to your reindeer hats […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5128,"featured_media":422,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[212,1],"tags":[215,218,227,224,221,230],"class_list":["post-419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christmas","category-uncategorized","tag-christmas","tag-consumerism","tag-holiday-cheer","tag-holiday-shopping","tag-materialism","tag-seasonal-holidays"],"yoast_head":"\nLet's Ditch Consumerism for a Soulful Approach to the Holiday Season<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The winter holidays were not meant to be about consumerism. Take a look at the kaleidoscope of traditions, beliefs, and celebrations from around the world.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Let's Ditch Consumerism for a Soulful Approach to the Holiday Season\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The winter holidays were not meant to be about consumerism. Take a look at the kaleidoscope of traditions, beliefs, and celebrations from around the world.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Converging Paths\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ahriana.platten\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-11-28T03:12:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-12-01T23:44:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1882\/2023\/11\/Untitled-design40.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"780\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"585\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dr. Ahriana Platten\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dr. Ahriana Platten\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/\",\"name\":\"Let's Ditch Consumerism for a Soulful Approach to the Holiday Season\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-11-28T03:12:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-12-01T23:44:07+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/#\/schema\/person\/61ff612f1e02dfe8b5d682b332a545df\"},\"description\":\"The winter holidays were not meant to be about consumerism. Take a look at the kaleidoscope of traditions, beliefs, and celebrations from around the world.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Let’s Ditch Consumerism for a Soulful Approach to the Holiday Season\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/\",\"name\":\"Converging Paths\",\"description\":\"Dr. Ahriana Platten's column, "Converging Paths," provides interfaith dialogue, explores the tapestry of rites, rituals, and traditions, and uncovers the transformative power of collaborative spiritual synergy.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/#\/schema\/person\/61ff612f1e02dfe8b5d682b332a545df\",\"name\":\"Dr. Ahriana Platten\",\"description\":\"Dr. Ahriana Platten is a wisdom keeper, practical mystic, and leading-edge coach for spiritual leaders, visionaries, and world-changers. As the founder of asoulfullworld.com, a global wisdom community, she guides individuals in living an authentic, purpose-driven, and passionate life. With over 30 years of metaphysical training, Ahriana is a certified Transpersonal Hypnotherapist, a Unity Minister, a Master Healer, and a 3rd-degree High Priestess in two esoteric religious traditions.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.asoulfullworld.com\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ahriana.platten\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ahriana_platten\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/author\/aplatten\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Let's Ditch Consumerism for a Soulful Approach to the Holiday Season","description":"The winter holidays were not meant to be about consumerism. Take a look at the kaleidoscope of traditions, beliefs, and celebrations from around the world.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Let's Ditch Consumerism for a Soulful Approach to the Holiday Season","og_description":"The winter holidays were not meant to be about consumerism. Take a look at the kaleidoscope of traditions, beliefs, and celebrations from around the world.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/","og_site_name":"Converging Paths","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ahriana.platten\/","article_published_time":"2023-11-28T03:12:11+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-12-01T23:44:07+00:00","og_image":[{"width":780,"height":585,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1882\/2023\/11\/Untitled-design40.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dr. Ahriana Platten","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dr. Ahriana Platten","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/","name":"Let's Ditch Consumerism for a Soulful Approach to the Holiday Season","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-11-28T03:12:11+00:00","dateModified":"2023-12-01T23:44:07+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/#\/schema\/person\/61ff612f1e02dfe8b5d682b332a545df"},"description":"The winter holidays were not meant to be about consumerism. Take a look at the kaleidoscope of traditions, beliefs, and celebrations from around the world.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/2023\/11\/a-soulful-approach-to-the-holiday-season\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Let’s Ditch Consumerism for a Soulful Approach to the Holiday Season"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/","name":"Converging Paths","description":"Dr. Ahriana Platten's column, "Converging Paths," provides interfaith dialogue, explores the tapestry of rites, rituals, and traditions, and uncovers the transformative power of collaborative spiritual synergy.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/#\/schema\/person\/61ff612f1e02dfe8b5d682b332a545df","name":"Dr. Ahriana Platten","description":"Dr. Ahriana Platten is a wisdom keeper, practical mystic, and leading-edge coach for spiritual leaders, visionaries, and world-changers. As the founder of asoulfullworld.com, a global wisdom community, she guides individuals in living an authentic, purpose-driven, and passionate life. With over 30 years of metaphysical training, Ahriana is a certified Transpersonal Hypnotherapist, a Unity Minister, a Master Healer, and a 3rd-degree High Priestess in two esoteric religious traditions.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.asoulfullworld.com","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ahriana.platten\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ahriana_platten\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/author\/aplatten\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5128"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=419"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/419\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/convergingpaths\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}