Choose sound holiday strategy for gladness

NEWBURGH, Ind. — The holidays can be glad, sad or bad. Take your pick and choose a direction.

I choose glad. Who wants to be sad, and who needs bad? I don’t want either one and neither do you. There is enough in life that confronts us every day that has the propensity to get us down.

Don’t go crazy eating this holiday.

I hear every year from people who say, “I’m going to eat whatever I want during the holidays and I’ll change in January.” These are the people who gain 5 to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

There are reports that some people only gain a pound during the holidays. You and I know better. I know personally that I have gained 10 pounds during the holidays before. My scale might be off a pound or two, but it does not lie.

The sad, staggering number tells me what I don’t want to see and there have been times it has been bad and sad! Who needs to start January 2020 being 10 pounds heavier! You don’t need it! Who does?

People literally go crazy eating during the holidays, eating “pounds” of candy, cookies and nearly the dining room table. You don’t have to eat the kitchen just because you can.

Make a determination now how you are going to conduct your eating this holiday.

You can have a good plate of food and even splurge on a dessert without busting your waistline. You don’t need three plates of food and four desserts.

You will be glad if you approach the holidays with some discretion or you will be sad and feel bad in January if you eat your head off.

Now, don’t be mad at me, because you have total freedom on what you put in your mouth.

Participate in Christmas.

It’s more fun if you participate in life.

Visit some elderly people who can’t get out much. Visit the nursing home. People are lonely in those places.

Last Christmas Eve, my wife and I went to the local nursing home and visited the residents. Not one room in that nursing home had any family or other visitors on Christmas Eve. It was a very sad, lonely place.

If you want to feel good, do good.

Take some of your food and give it away before Christmas. Don’t take people leftovers. Maybe there is a family or two that you might help in some tangible way. Think about it and God will lead you with some good, charitable ideas.

This year, remember who and what the seasons are about.

Focus on joy, peace and good will toward all.

Say good words to people.

Be kind.

Wish the best for others.

Help others if and when you can.

Don’t say bad things about people.

Give people second chances.

Make your holiday strategy today for a season of gladness.

Glenn Mollette is an American columnist and author.  He may be contacted at GMollette@aol.com Learn more at www.glennmollette.com.  Like his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/glennmollette.