By Nancy Stoops

Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Times are tough for so many right now. I know the media makes us feel like we show our love by spending lots of money. It shows people giving diamonds and luxury cars and the message is that if you really love somebody, you’ll give them this type of gift. The truth is the most people don’t have that kind of money to spend on themselves, much less somebody else.            Many people tell me they feel bad because they wish they had more money to spend this holiday season. Maybe I’m wrong, but the true meaning of the holiday is to spread love and kindness – and those things are free. There are many ways to show love and kindness. This time of year is about reminding all the special people in our lives how very much we appreciate them. I have many people every year besides my family and friends that I get a tiny gift for. I don’t spend too much, but they sure do appreciate my gesture.

I always love spending time with my family and friends, but this time of year is special because we all have time off and we have more time to be together. We love sharing meals together, singing songs, baking cookies, laughing, creating memories, taking pictures and getting all of the generations together. For us, the holidays are about having fun and just having more time to express our love for each other. We make sure to always make time for lots of hugs and kisses as well. Over the years I have made many gifts for friends and family. We are all very sentimental, so a gift from the heart is priceless in my family and doesn’t have to cost you a cent. Just enjoy the holiday season!

This article was written by Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T. Nancy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has a private practice in Diamond Bar and is currently accepting new clients. Nancy is also a motivational speaker who can inspire your employees or group members. She runs free family support groups, a group on loss for seniors, and groups on how to manage anger. For more information about any of these services, feel free to contact Nancy at (909) 229-0727; or you may e-mail her at stoopsshecter@earthlink.net. You may purchase Nancy’s books, Live Heal and Grow and Midnight the Therapy Dog at Amazon.com.