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By Ali For many people, the holiday season arrives with pressure to feel a certain way. There is a sense that joy should simply appear, that warmth should come easily, that everyone should feel grateful simply because the calendar says so. Decorations go up, music fills stores, and the world seems to agree that this is supposed to be the happiest time of the year.
But for some, Christmas is not loud or bright. It is quieter, heavier. It carries the weight of the year that came before it. There are memories attached to certain songs, traditions that have shifted or disappeared, and moments that feel different than they once did. The holidays do not erase what has been lost or what yet still has to find peace. Still, people show up; they wrap gifts. They cook meals. They gather at the dinner table where conversations feel fragile, but still worth having. Not because everything is okay, but because choosing gentleness feels important. In small ways, they choose it for others and for themselves. Gentleness during the holidays is often misunderstood. It is not about pretending things are perfect, or forcing cheer. It is about allowing moments of warmth to exist alongside reality. It is about speaking kindly when it would be easier to stay quiet, and finding comfort in simple things: the glow of Christmas lights at night and the feeling of being present, even when life is feeling complicated. As the season continues, it becomes clear that gentleness is not a weakness. It is a choice, one made in the middle of exhaustion, grief, change, and growth. For many, that choice is what makes the holidays bearable and sometimes, meaningful. So I’ll say this now, for anyone moving through the holidays carrying more than they show: You don’t have to make this season perfect. You don’t have to feel grateful every second. Let gentleness be enough. Rest when you can. Take comfort, even if it’s small. Be gentle with yourself and others - not because the world is kind, but because you are. Sometimes getting through the holidays isn’t about celebration. It’s about choosing not to close your heart - and letting that be enough.
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By Sydney When people think of the holidays, they tend to think of snow. Whether it be snowball fights, sledding, or sleigh rides, most people associate December holidays with the ground being covered in fluffy, white, snow. However I think of something a little different. For me, the holiday season means being able to go outside without the sun trying to fill me and cacti (not cactuses, don’t say cactuses unless you want to get laughed at) wearing Santa hats. I think of the holiday season differently because of where I live: Arizona, a state in the southwestern United States.
A lot of people forget that the US has desert biomes even though it actually has four of them. Arizona is home to at least a part of each of the four deserts (https://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_northamerica.php). Being a state that is mostly desert means it doesn’t get any snow, except in the northern area which gets a lot. Therefore, people living in Arizona have adapted winter traditions to fit our climate better. When decorating for Christmas, instead of putting Santa hats on snow people, we put them on cacti. Whereas some people in other states have electric reindeer, my neighbours have lit-up javelina, wild pigs that like to roam the neighbourhoods. Some years I do wish that we got snow. When I was little, my parents used to tell me that Arizona sent all of its snow to places that need it more. Now, I don’t want it to snow, I just want it to be cold. As climate change gets worse, it just keeps getting hotter and hotter here in what locals call the Valley of the Sun. So, instead of looking for snow as a signal that winter has begun, we look for a different sign: snow birds. Now, you may be thinking “how do birds tell you when it’s winter?”. Well that’s easy to answer: snow birds aren’t actual birds. “Snowbirds” is our term for retired people that live in Arizona in the winter and more northern states, such as … Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois in the summer. Therefore, when the license plates start changing to show more states like Minnesota, North Dakota, or even Canada, that’s how we know it is winter. This holiday season will probably look a lot different for everyone. As COVID-19 gets worse again here in the United States, holiday plans will have to be adjusted. Thankfully, I have a small family: just me, my parents, and their parents. We plan to sit as far away from each other as possible, but if cases get worse we may move Christmas to zoom. I know it may be hard to spend the holiday season on zoom, but it is the safest option. To help our doctors and hospitals, it is best for holiday plans to be put on hold. To accommodate this new way of celebrating, try playing some fun games on zoom. A lot of websites have been created to play card games or even board games online, making it possible to have fun with people that aren’t with you. Some streaming services are even creating platforms, such as Netflix Party, that let multiple people in different locations watch the same movie. Doing gatherings virtually may seem like we are back at the start of quarantine, but they are steps we need to take to help get the pandemic under control. If someone had told me that I might not be able to see my grandparents for Christmas, I probably would have thought they were lying. I am their only grandkid and my mom their only child so where else could they go. It will be hard not to see them, but to keep them safe I am willing to go a Christmas without them. On a happier note, this weekend we are putting out all of our Christmas decorations and I am excited to see the electric javelinas once again. By Kaitlyn Hoo boy, Christmas is finally over. I’m not a grinch, or a Scrooge, or anything like that. In fact, I love Christmas! I love the big roast dinner and giving presents and ripping open wrapping paper, I love the alcohol, the chocolates and I love spending my day with those around me that I love!
However, what do you do when those people you love enough to spend such an important day with aren’t your family? My family is kinda complicated, and I won’t go into the details here, but basically we don’t all get along well. My childhood was also kind of complicated, which is why when I chose my university, I chose one really far from home so that I didn’t have to go back regularly. Instead, I only really go home twice, maybe three times a year. I tend to feel much closer to my friends and partner’s family because of this weird relationship with my parents and my home life, so that leads to Christmas being a little tougher than most people’s. I find myself homesick for my flat, and can easily get lost in the fact that I’m not enjoying myself at home at all, and would rather be with other people. So, what can you do if you feel like this? Organise to meet up with your friends! Go to lunch, or if you’re old enough, go out drinking together, and have fun. Making new memories with old friends can keep the friendship going far beyond just text messaging back and forth saying “we should meet up” over and over again. Try to take a day (or even overnight) with your partner if possible. I love doing this on Christmas Eve with my partners family, I spend the 23rd to the 24th with them, get to open all my presents from them early and have dinner, then fall asleep together. This can stop the feelings of missing your partner, as well as give you time away from your family. Finally, have something to do that gives you privacy, and signals others to give you privacy. For me, it’s using big over-ear headphones with my laptop, phone, or Nintendo Switch. They are big so people can see that you are busy, and if they try and talk to you, you might not hear them. I find that this is a cool and easy way of warding off family when you want a bit of space, even if you don’t have a proper space of your own at home. Last of all, keep your head up. Being home can bring up a lot of memories, both good and traumatic, and either can be equally as overwhelming. Try to keep calm, keep sane, and even chat to us if you’re visiting home and just need someone to talk to! We are always available on our Facebook and Instagram feeds so message us there and one of our admins, (including me!) will get back to you and we can just chat about anything you want. By Mel As a lover of the spooky season, I tend to go all out and make the most of Halloween! Now, let me just state this now, “Halloween isn’t just for kids, it’s for everyone!”
I have always loved Halloween since I can remember, so I don’t want to stop that any time soon! So I wanted to share some of my favourite activities to do within the spooky season.
So what I did was I brought some household objects, cheap from my local bargain shop and decided to get some inspiration from Pinterest to get me started! My recent one I made was a pumpkin but I painted it blue with a yellow stalk, with a black bow. So to define the idea behind this I’m a lover of Alice In Wonderland and Alice means a lot to me so why not start off with something that you most desire?
I wanted to give a quick brief description of “Devil’s Bridge” as I’ve recently visited it. The urban legend goes something like this; The devil gained a bargain with a local woman whose cow was stranded across the river. In a bid to buy her soul, the devil said he’d build her a bridge in exchange for the soul of the first living thing that crossed it. So you van kind of see why I have a liking for urban legends then visiting the location of the legend itself. The history behind it is quite interesting and can sometimes make you question how this urban legend came to exist. By Camille One of the most memorable times within our childhoods comes from the holiday season. Everyone is happy and excited to be together, no matter what you celebrate. Even in shows and movies, the holiday season is depicted with the brightest of colors to symbolize a happy time.
The mere thought of not being in school, potential snow, and the exchanging of gifts are enough to bring most people in a reminiscent mood. There are a few moments better than waking up and racing down the stairs to see presents underneath the tree (or however you might celebrate). Sometimes, you get what you asked for, and sometimes, you may not. But overall, the elated feeling you get in your chest is worth it. Unfortunately, for many people, the holiday season eventually blends in with everything else as it is no longer as joyful. There are many reasons as to why one may not feel as festive as they were years ago. This could lead to feelings of dread towards the holidays because things are not what they used to be. As we get older it is normal to lose that same enthusiasm about the holidays that we may have had as kids. Some people have to spend the holidays alone due to certain circumstances. Others have to spend holidays without their loved ones that they lost. All in all, the most joyous moments of our childhood can be the most depressing. Sadly there’s a big in-between for a lot of people where the holidays are no longer joyful and they do not feel happy until they have a family of their own. But it does not have to be that way, anyone can make the holidays what they used to be. Everyone deserves to feel like a kid again during the holidays. Below I have compiled a list of things you can do to bring you back to those good days:
As we get older it may get more difficult to replicate the feelings we have experienced as children over the holidays. But, that does not necessarily mean that we cannot still experience those feelings again, we can always find ways to connect ourselves with our past. I hope this article has motivated people to start searching for that joy during the holidays again. As our current year approaches its end we often find ourselves thinking about the upcoming new year. People tend to hope that the new year will bring about positive experiences, success, and change. These thoughts often lead people to create New Year's resolutions. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a New Year’s resolution is defined as “ a promise to do something differently in the new year”. More often than not these resolutions include changing something in your life that you may not like or accomplishing a goal or set of goals. The idea of setting a new year resolution can be productive and may aid you in finally doing what you always wanted to, or in other words, help you become the 'new and improved you' in the new year. Looking back on everything that has happened this past year, it's normal that we hope that the upcoming new year will bring positivity and improvement into our lives. Some of us may begin to think of New Year's resolutions such as eating healthier, exercising more often, reading that book that has been sitting on your shelf for some time, and more. Usually, we are eager to act upon these goals that we have set for ourselves, and even feel proud when we do so. However, many of us may forget or drop these initial thoughts of future improvement as the new year progresses. Others may feel a sense of failure because they were not able to go through with their resolution. Before the start of 2020, I had come up with a few resolutions for the year. Some of these resolutions include eating healthier, drinking more water, and reading more. For the most part, I have been eating healthier and making sure to drink more water, but I have not read more this year than I had last year. Initially, I was upset that I was unable to meet all my goals for the current year, but then I realized that I was able to improve on two of the three goals that I had set for myself. We as people won’t always be able to follow through on every plan or goal that we have set for ourselves in the future. Very often we become focused on the big goal and don’t realize the small things that we have accomplished on our way to achieving the larger goal. Although the start of a new year may symbolize a fresh start and an opportunity to work towards bettering oneself, it is important to remember that we can always work on ourselves no matter the time of year. Although some may not want to take part in the idea of making a New Year's resolution, it can be fun. If you are trying to think of a New Year’s resolution for yourself, you can start by thinking about what aspects of your life you would like to improve on or change. These changes and improvements do not have to be drastic, they can be as simple as going on more walks or learning a new word every day. Many resolutions typically revolve around one's health, such as eating better or maybe quitting an unfavourable habit, but resolutions can take on many forms. Some unique resolutions can include learning a new language, reading a certain number of books that you always wanted to, doing some exploring near your home (you may discover something new), and more. You may not achieve every resolution that you set, however, it is important to pat yourself on the back for trying. The new year is approaching fast and some of us may be setting goals/new year resolutions for ourselves as we enter into the upcoming year. You should not feel pressured to come up with a New Year resolution if you don’t want to. If you do set a resolution for the upcoming year I hope that you accomplish them. If you are unable to, remember that you tried your best and when you are ready you can always try again. Here are a few new years resolution ideas in case you are looking for some:
I would like to wish a happy new year to all of the readers and members of Teenagers With Experience, may this year bring us all health, happiness, and success. Sincerely, Diana Diana |
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Teenagers With Experience is an online organisation created to provide teenagers worldwide with an online platform to share their own experiences to be able to help, inform and educate others on a variety of different topics. We aim to provide a safe space to all young people.
Please note that the content on this website is created by teenagers. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, it is important to remember that we are not professional experts. If you are experiencing a crisis or need professional advice, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional or a helpline. |