Teenage Tuesdays

Lessons for the holidays

December 16, 2025

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📣Welcome to the Whinypaluza column called Teenage Tuesdays, written by Rebecca's daughter Ella Greene, who is 16 years old!
➡️Look forward to a new blog from Ella from a teenage perspective on Tuesdays!

Lessons for the holidays

I write this on the first night of Hanukkah. A holiday all about the triumph of the small over the mighty for the sake of goodness and vitality—light in the darkest time of the year.
The world seems very dark right now, both literally and figuratively, so I figured I would share how I attempt (not always successfully) to get through it in one piece.

Remember what life–and the holidays—are really about. It’s about making life as sweet as a jelly donut through memories. Every moment you spend with family celebrating anything is supposed to be cherished, even if they aren’t always perfect, so try to remember to stop running around and appreciate having your loved ones with you. But I know that’s easier said than done. I know family can feel more like a tornado than a blessing, but that’s simply a sign that you need time away from your family. So take time to yourself and then come back ready to savor what you can.

Stupid things are just that, stupid. This is more of a continuation of the last tip than anything else. The next time you find yourself worrying about a stain on the table cloth, whether you got the perfect gift or not, or how clean the house is, remember that that’s not what stays with people. What stays with people is the light you brought—your advice, your attitude, your warmth—and you can’t give that to people if you’re too busy being stressed about something no one cares about.

Everything doesn't need to happen in one day. There is more than one day in December. You don’t have to fit everything in one day, one weekend, or even one week. I find the best memories are made when you have the chance to go slow and aren’t constantly rushing from one thing to the next. However, I know that’s easier said than done, so my advice is to plan ahead for what you want to do in December so you can spread it out. Also, remember that winter lasts longer than December, and there’s always January to do what you just can’t get to.

Every December won’t look the same This is something I’ve had to learn this year. Our lives change so much in a year, and sometimes you just have to accept that not every holiday is going to be equally as magical. Some years, you’ll find time for everything and some years you just won’t and that’s okay. Let the holidays be imperfect every so often, it won’t make them any less memorable.

I hope this blog helped you in some way. While you’re getting ready for a flurry of loved ones, remember that life isn’t always perfect and no one expects it to be. Everyone just expects you to try, so as long as you do that, the holidays will certainly be happy and bright.

Until next time, 
Ella Greene.

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