THE OLDER CROWD:Beating the holiday blues

When we think of the holidays in December, Christmas most often comes to mind, but the holiday season is a time of many celebrations, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and even the celebration of the Winter Solstice. All of these holidays incorporate a common theme, in which light is prominently used as part of the celebrations.

During Christmas, families put up trees covered with lights. During Hanukkah, called the Festival of Lights, eight candles are lighted for eight days. During Kwanzaa, celebrated for the first fruits of the harvest, seven candles are put in a Kinara. The Winter Solstice celebrates the Sun God.

The holiday season is upon us and many seniors suffer from the holiday blues. The holiday blues, as the name implies, tend to be temporary and seasonal and can affect men and women, young and old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Life has its seasons, and many seniors feel lonely at this time of year. They may wonder why they do not share the same happiness or enthusiasm as those around them. The pressure to perform if they feel differently can cause discomfort, and comparing themselves against expectations, they develop the blues. They can give in to their sad feelings and allow them to dictate their reactions, or they can fight the despair and beat the blues.

Sometimes they just feel down. Loneliness, sadness and unrealistic expectations can trigger feelings of inadequacy and a sense of despair. Are any of you allowing unexpected circumstances to derail your life journey? To know how to fight your way out, you must figure out what you are facing.

To overcome loneliness during the holidays or any time, one must learn the effects of his or her loneliness, replace the negative mind-set, work toward the point where one can embrace both the pleasure and sorrow of life as part of their time here, and take risks because life is worth it. This may involve writing a journal, talking to a friend and reading — or rying or taking some action to resolve the matter. If people are motivated to act and make a change, they will create a better life for themselves.

At the Costa Mesa Senior Center we will hold our Christmas brunch on Dec. 22, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It’s a way of offering seniors someplace to go at a time when many of them might otherwise be alone. At this brunch, we serve French toast, sausages and fruit. And while the seniors wait for their food, they sit on Santa’s lap asking him to make sure they stay healthy. Everyone knows that Santa rewards all the good girls and boys, but it may be less commonly known that Santa doesn’t believe in age discrimination.

During brunch we also have entertainment by Tony Montero, and every senior goes home with a gift. Reservations are a must; if you wish to attend, please call the center at (949) 645-2356; there is a cost of $5.

This year we are reaching out to the community to help us buy 200 gifts for our seniors — gift certificates to Target, Trader Joe’s or to local restaurants are always a help. If you have any further questions please call (949) 645-2356, ext. 16.

Thank you to Surat Singh for his generosity and concern for seniors. This year Surat once again sponsored our Thanksgiving lunch that more than 150 seniors attended and got a real Thanksgiving meal. He also donated two beautiful Christmas trees that are lighted up and decorated in our lobby for all seniors and guests to enjoy. Please take advantage of our open invitation to visit with us and become part of the wonderful, growing family of friends and neighbors.

I wish you all the very best this holiday season.