Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto

From the Associate Minister of Religious Education

November 27, 2011
Rev. Dan Harper

After Thanksgiving comes Black Friday, the craziest shopping day of the year, and that is the true beginning of the holiday season. According to the “Social Readjustment Rating Scale,” Christmas has a “mean stress value” of 12 points, about the same value as minor violations of the law (11 points), and about a third of the mean stress value of the death of a close friend (37 points). I think the mean stress value of Christmas for children is probably higher than just 12 points, though. As Christmas approaches, many children go into an agony of anticipation as they wonder what presents they will get this year, and I always notice that behavior problems increase as we get closer to December 25.

I hope you don’t have too much stress in your life this holiday season. Most of us have our holiday season rituals, and I hope your holiday rituals turn out to be more relaxing than stressful this year. And there’s no rule that your holiday ritual has to be absolutely traditional; a favorite holiday ritual for my partner and me is going out for Chinese food or sushi on Christmas day.

Another of my favorite relaxing holiday rituals is the Christmas Eve service at our church — we sing familiar Christmas carols, we hear the familiar Christmas story, we light candles — it’s a great way to have a peaceful time before opening all those presents on Christmas morning. This year, Christmas falls on a Sunday, and that means we’ll have our regular Sunday services at 9:30 and 11:00. The services will be based on the Christmas chapter from the children’s book The Wind in the Willows, and we’ll meet in the Fireside Room before a crackling fire.

Whatever you decide to do this holiday season, may your stress level be low, and your pleasure and enjoyment be high.