Healing the Holiday Divide

We are indeed a very culturally diverse community, all the colors of the rainbow. But as holiday season approaches, diversity can become controversy.

Kwanza, Chanukah and Christmas, and their related rituals all converge in December. A peaceful home takes on tension and discord if the family members can not resolve their differences. These holidays are very important, how we create rituals for ourselves and family has lasting impact .This year Christmas and Chanukah overlap each other. Making sure all voices are respected is no easy task. I once had a Chanukah party and guests brought grab bag presents wrapped in Christmas paper.

So, how do I go about finding ways to reduce tension and survive the holidays?

Having the conversation with partners, and family is the first step. What are we going to do for the holidays? This may be a very touchy subject, but creating a new ritual has the potential to be very satisfying.

Laney Kibel LCSW is a therapist in Portland. In addition to counseling individuals and couples, Laney will be starting a support group for entrepreneurs. For more information call (503) 781- 3900 or laneykibel@hotmail.com