Well, here we are – Christmas Eve! For many, today sees the first day proper of the Christmas vacation and a chance to put the final touches to the preparations for the big day tomorrow. Others will be on the big wind-down at work and looking forward to putting their feet up and relaxing this evening, and yet others still will be conscious of having to man the fort over the Christmas period, spending time away from family and loved ones in order to provide the services which are essential to all of us.
After a difficult year on the job front, I am very aware, however, that there is also an all too high percentage of the population who currently have no work to take a break from. For them, there may be worries and concerns and even the guilt of not being able to provide in the same way as previous years for the Christmas festivities.
No matter what your gender, age or situation though, and despite the consumerist frenzy that seems to be part and parcel of Christmas nowadays, what makes this such a special time of year is the chance to spend time with friends, family and loved ones. No matter what our religious beliefs, it is good to have the excuse of a particular time of year to simply celebrate and enjoy the people that we care about. The next couple of days are not ones to be spent thinking about work, but ones when we can put aside our worries as best we can and be thankful for the people around us and for all that we do have. It may be less than we would like, but it is almost certainly more than some others have.
Unless you count the opportunities to do some networking at Christmas functions, the next few days are going to see few opportunities to move a job search forward, so why not just relax and enjoy without feeling the pressure of having to do something? If you start to get itchy feet, there’s no reason why you can’t sneak off and start making a few preparations for the coming year, but no matter what your situation, we all deserve a few days off and, God willing, there will be plenty of opportunities to pick up where you left off in a few days’ time.
Wherever you are in the world and whatever your circumstances, I truly wish every one of you a safe and happy Christmas. Just live in the moment and enjoy every one for what it is!
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