Now that the children are home for the school break and many workers are taking time off ahead of Christmas, our usual daily stresses, like the early morning and evening traffic, pick ups and drop offs, work commitment etc, begin to be replaced by another set of challenges.
As the drive to work in the morning becomes a lot more relaxing, it is the drive to the local mall that is the seasonal big challenge. The roads around the main commercial areas are already full to the brim, with anxious shoppers joining the race for the last toy, the last decorative trinket and the last addition to industrial amounts of food and drink being purchased for the festivities.
This may bring a well-deserved Christmas cheer to our retailers after such a difficult year but it may not help us get into the mood of what this time of the year should be about.
So, here is our appeal to all our readers just a few days before Christmas. If out and about on your last errands, try and spread some seasonal cheer to your fellow shoppers. Be courteous and avoid arguments over who has the right of way. Equally, avoid jumping the line by driving past all waiting cars to force yourself into a gap closer to the entrance.
Be as quick as you can with your shopping and, once finished with the loading of your goods into the car, remember the dozens of drivers behind you, also desperate for a space, and leave as quickly as possible; after all, deciding to make that forgotten call to a friend at that time will definitely not make you friends with all those waiting for your parking space.
Ideally, spread the good behaviour beyond your car. Help someone struggling with their own shopping or stuck in a tight parking spot. Give up your space in the line or your seat on the bus for the elderly, pregnant or disabled. Or for someone carrying too many bags.
And don't stop there, either. Remember that relative or friend you have not seen for a while and keep meaning to see but never get around to doing that because you are just too busy? Perhaps it is time to try a bit harder and squeeze in some time, in between shopping and driving, to pay an unexpected visit to them. Or simply just remember to say "thank you," "hello" and "please" a few more times. Or cheer a stranger with a random act of kindness.
Be creative but, above all, be good and kind to each other. All that won't cost us anything but help make us a more tolerant, friendlier and loving society.
Above all, and especially at these trying times for our country, let's remember that beyond the toy, the decorations and the turkey, Christmas is a time for us to remind ourselves of the positive that daily doses of hope, love and tolerance can bring to each and all of us. So, ahead of your shopping trip today, don't forget to add just one free but essential item to your list: kindness. Your fellow shoppers thank you in advance.