Whether you have the spirit of the Grinch or be active as an elf; that you are doing things big or "just a thought": you will hardly give up some fixed points of these holidays. The reason why has been explained by an anthropologist.
The mere thought of Christmas parties can ignite expectations or bring down a veil of melancholy over the past. Whether you like them or not, these days evoke memories, smells and colors very specific, different for each: because even the most cynical among us can give up toasts, dinners, gifts under the tree and ... ( add the classic family tradition )
ALWAYS THE SAME
As Dimitris Xygalatas, an anthropologist at the University of Connecticut, tells The Conversation , family rituals bring various psychological benefits. The most obvious are the possibility of strengthening ties and bridging distances, of having fun and detaching from the daily routine.
But above all, unchanging traditions like those of Christmas act as "pads" to alleviate anxiety: in a life full of uncertainties, the possibility of being in a well-known situation, with a precise role and with the same people, gives a certain structure, a sense of stability and security: for a few hours, one feels comforted by the ability to know how to foresee what will happen.
LUNCH (OR DINNER)
The long hours spent cooking have the same social function as the gatherings of our ancestors around the fire. Sharing a special meal with a series of ceremonials - the table set for the holidays, the special dish of the mother - strengthens the sense of belonging to a small community and helps to smooth the hearts facilitating the conversation (almost always).
All cultures reserve for the most awaited festival of the year the most Lucullian meals, which follow precise rules: in Jewish tradition, food must be chosen and prepared according to Kosher standards; in parts of India and in the Middle East food is brought to the mouth only with the right hand; in some European countries the toast is strictly closed eyes ... Scientific studies show that the ceremonies around the food make it more appetizing and pleasant, and that the children involved in the preparation of the meal appreciate its taste more.
THE GIFTS
Even the habit of exchanging presents might seem like a waste of time (and money). Yet many societies in as many historical periods have ritualized this custom, which would have an important role in the care of social relations. If you think about it, in most families you end up receiving, under the tree, something that otherwise we would have bought for ourselves. Goods and money are recycled within a small family unit: to make the difference (that is others have thought of us).
RELATIVES
The thought of meeting an uncle with whom you will end up talking about politics (or your future projects) might not excite you, but finding yourself with the members of the extended family seems to be an important rite of passage for personal growth, and an opportunity for increased generosity. Moreover, according to Israeli psychologist Daniel Kahneman, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002, when we remember the events of the past, we tend to recall only the most emotionally intense moments, and the last ones ( peak-end rule ). In short, if you really have to bicker , just do it quietly, and not on the door.
Merry Christmas!!!!