The Holiday Season Survival Guide

The holidays are upon us. Turkey, stuffing, airports, shopping and perhaps fighting the masses on Black Friday are synonymous with Thanksgiving and the holiday season to follow. Unfortunately, there seems to be a new trend to add to this list – rude holiday shoppers. Lately, it seems as if more and more people seem to have forgotten about good old fashioned common courtesy.

Perhaps, it is because we are so caught up talking on our cell phones in the grocery store or Facebooking from our iPhones that we no longer care about the living, breathing real people who are right behind us in the check-out line or sitting beside us in the airport. But, here’s the thing, your cell phone does not make you or me invisible. It just makes us oblivious.

This Holiday Season, let’s try to remember what this holiday is really all about – giving thanks to those who are around us, behind us and beside us. Let us give thanks to the people we interact with everyday, the strangers in the mall, the check-out clerks in the store and the drivers on the road. These people are the extras in our lives and without them, life just wouldn’t be as interesting.

So, with that in mind, we should model the behavior we wish to see in others, which means we must set an example of courteous and polite behavior ourselves. For this holiday season, here are a few tips on things to avoid…

• No one likes the person who chats away on his/her cell phone while holding up the line at the grocery store, Starbucks, etc. Newsflash Yappy – You are NOT the center of the universe. Be respectful to the clerk and your fellow shoppers by finishing your conversation at a later time. Your fellow shoppers be thankful, the clerk will be thankful and most of all, so will you friend on the other line. They would probably appreciate your full attention as well.

• Never, ever, ever break in line. As my Mom used to say, “Where’s the fire?” An amazing sale at the next store doesn’t count. I don’t care how much of a hurry you are in, we are all in this together and no one person’s rights trump another persons. However, do be aware of your surroundings. If the person behind you has 1 item and you have 20, you might consider letting them go first. This is the season of giving, so give ‘em your place in line! It will feel good!

• Be aware of your surroundings and your own volume. Not everyone wants to hear a play by play account of your Grandmother’s hip replacement surgery. Recently, I was on an airplane where the man seated behind me talked about his religion the entire plane flight so loudly that everyone on the plane could hear him. Be courteous to other passengers and people around you by using your inside voice.

• Do not overindulge at the family dining table – there will plenty of time to eat and drink more later.

• Never insult the way something smells or tastes, even if it is different from what you are accustomed to at your house.

• Always, always offer to help and this goes for both genders. If you can’t cook, you can certainly help clean up!

• If you are invited to a holiday meal at another person’s house, always bring a small token of appreciation.

• Think about what you are thankful for this year. Don’t be shy in sharing it with your guests, friends and family this year. Remember, the # 1 rule of being hospitable is being gracious. Set the tone by making everyone feel comfortable in their setting and in their own skin. By being courteous and loving to the people around us, we are showing them that we are thankful for their presence. I think this is a holiday lesson we can practice all year long.