The importance of celebration
Happy day before Black Friday everyone!
Oh wait… isn’t that Thanksgiving or something?
It’s kind of funny that here in New Zealand no one celebrates Thanksgiving (I mean..why would we?) - but Black Friday seems to have become more and more of a thing every year for the past 5 years or so.
I feel like most people (and by most people, I mean this is a thought I have had to myself that I haven’t vocalised but assume that surely most people are on the same page) only know the date of thanksgiving because we’re so spammed by Black Friday marketing.
But of course, we don’t have Thanksgiving, only Black Friday.
I sometimes like the idea of having a ‘thanksgiving’ day as an intentional day to practise gratitude and come together with people you are close with over food and friendship.
Matariki, I think, should be our equivalent, and I’m glad that it’s officially a public holiday - but I want more people who I know to celebrate it so that I can attend these celebrations rather than just writing things down in a sad little gratitude journal.
One of the comments I often hear from my international friends is that New Zealanders don’t do nearly enough celebrating. By that - they mean making a fuss over significant days and events. We don’t really have rituals or big ceremonies or quirky challenges or tasks you’re supposed to do… apart from maybe doing a shoe-ie on crate day or yelling ‘up da wahs’ out of a car window, (bonus points if you’re driving past a wedding photoshoot or a car crash on the motorway).
I have never been bothered by being ‘low key’ and ‘chill,’ and it seems like most kiwis feel the same way - but are we missing out? Is this the reason behind our binge drinking culture? Would we actually benefit from being a little more ceremonious and (potentially) goofy?
I sometimes wonder if we weren’t so awkward and private when it comes to sharing our emotions and lives with each other, and if we actually did allow ourselves to put more time and effort into celebration across the whole year...maybe we wouldn’t feel like the only time we can really be open with each other, be funny, be talkative, be confident, be flirtatious or dougie on the dance floor is when there’s an open bar tab at the work-do.
What does that have to do with thanksgiving?
Well, I guess it’s just cute that Americans have their day of celebrating what they’re thankful for with friends and family, and we have Black Friday where we all give in to panic buying Christmas presents and things we probably don’t need, and get trapped for 2 hours trying to leave a Westfield car park.
Maybe we could take inspiration from that.
If we find ways to be more connected with each other throughout the year - not just being in the same room as other people but by nurturing meaningful relationships,
If we stop trying to be so bloody humble all the time, brushing off or never even mentioning to the people around us the good things that have happened to us,
And if we lean into what feels goofy, what feels cheesy, what feels cringey or ‘too much effort’, even though the result would bring us more fun, more joy, more laughter, more creativity and more fulfilment…
Maybe we wouldn’t overdo it when there’s free booze.
Maybe we wouldn’t eat to numb our feelings.
Maybe we wouldn’t scrutinise our bodies as much.
Maybe we wouldn’t be seeking ways to add more control in our lifestyles because we feel out of control in our headspace, and we’re just trying to keep the negative thoughts at bay.
So, my question for today - is being cool and laid back all the time cultivating the opposite for our mental health?
Perhaps we do need more avenues to share, express, connect, and be a little OTT.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone,
L x
