But seriously…
Why do we call this the Silly Season? Partly because the title gives us permission to let go a little and relax after a busy, bustling and stressful year. We might get silly with indulgences, parties and gifts at Christmas. And isn’t it ridiculous that most of us choose only this time of year to decorate our houses with coloured lights and sweet vignettes? That could be delightful at any time.
It’s wonderful to make merry at this time of year, but a little bit of thoughtfulness goes a long way, too. Caring interactions with each other, quality time and gratitude; these are all part of a successful festive season. If we’re already feeling stressed about rising costs, it’s so helpful to remember that most people, even kids, prefer a well-chosen gift or shared activity over a pile of stuff. (Check inside this week’s paper to find a few good examples of how to spend time together over the summer break).
There are resources available to people feeling the pinch this Christmas, including the local Community Pantry (Holy Trinity Hall, 50 High St, Maldon) and the Salvation Army which offers supportive, safe places and community connection, call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58).
When it comes to volumes of food during the festive season, we could all cut back a bit… mainly to avoid food waste. Researchers from RMIT University are asking us to consider buying only what we need, pointing out that a total of 7.6 million tonnes of food are wasted in Australia per year, which has significant environmental consequences. “We all like to cook, buy and take large amounts of food in this festive season, both as hosts and guests and many people think it is better to have too much food than not enough,” says Dr Bhavna Middha, Senior Research Fellow, College of Design and Social Context, RMIT. “But our shared practices need to be put under scrutiny, as they can often lead to extravagant food waste.” Wasted food is also a waste of money, so maybe we can look forward to a smaller Christmas feast this year that hits the spot without mountains remaining.
It’s definitely a silly season, which is just the way we like it! Check inside the paper for more silliness to balance out the usual seriousness of the weekly news. Happy Christmas!
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 20 December 2024.
