Your Christmas Present

QUESTION: Dr. Remington, I understand that the Samaritan Counseling Center cannot give Christmas presents. If you could, what present would you give us?"

ANSWER: To modify your question a bit. We can offer you a Christmas present. Here it is. We..

Encourage you, as a family unit, to acknowledge that this approaching season holds the potential for beauty, love, joy, peace, togetherness; it also holds the potential for conflicts, estrangements, hard feelings, hostilities, ugliness. What will make the potential become the reality you want and deserve? Budgeting/planning. This budgeting/planning pertains particularly to money, travel, events and attitude.
Suggest that you recognize that stores are doing everything possible to entice you to purchase, purchase, purchase. Realistically, budget how much you will spend, and stick to that amount.
Ask you to consider restricting your travel. I personally plan not to travel in any way any extensive distance, and I suggest that others do not travel to visit me. It is hectic and often dangerous out there.
Invite you to sit down with your family and list all the activities in which you could be involved. Emotions will likely enter of "Shoulds.. Oughts.. Expectations.. Demands..", etc.. Say "NO!" to most of them. Carefully select the most important, and practical, activities. Abusing alcohol or illegal drugs is so contradictory to the meaning of Christmas.
Urge this attitude, which to me, is the most important part of our present to you: Have the attitude of Mary who was nearly overcome with the joy and awesomeness that, in my opinion, the clearest and most complete understanding and expression of God was coming in the tiny baby named, Jesus, Emmanuel.

All Christian churches hold special services. Select the service meaningful to you and participate.

Our present contains this simple but important message: Christmas in its deepest sense is not dictated to or contained within some figures on a calendar. The real Christmas emerges from an attitude of the mind and heart – an attitude that translates into an action of budgeting/planning for this Christmas to bring to you beauty, love, joy, peace, togetherness.

Merry Christ-mas to all of you from us.

READER: Submit questions to Ask-A-Counselor, obtain information, or make an appointment by calling 843-448-4820, Fax: 448-9875, send to the Coastal Samaritan Counseling Center, 901 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577, or log on to http://coastalsamaritan.blogspot.com.