Chicago holiday train/Credit: Flickr user Morydd
The holiday season is off to a rocky start, as many families have less money for gifts and travel. But things are starting to look up in some parts of the country, and even hard-hit areas are taking a glass-half-full approach to the new year.
At WEKU in Kentucky, Charles Compton reports that maybe we’ve had Scrooge wrong all these years. While he wasn’t happy, he might not have been as miserly and mean as meets the eye.
“Citing research done by the Ghost of Christmas Past, psychologist Susan Mathews concludes Ebenezer Scrooge was in pain.
“The longer that I work with people and the more I encounter people who have had life struggles or who are currently in pain, the more I realize that people tend to do the things they do for a reason,” she said. “I find that life experiences absolutely shape our actions, whatever they may be.”
If you’re feeling Scrooge-like and want some inspiration to get out of the funk, a new Michigan Public Radio project hosted by Jennifer White has a collection of stories about how Americans are dealing with the recession.
In Ohio, one church is having a Blue Christmas, offering a place for its community members who are feeling down this year, WYSO reports.
“Collins says that the holidays can bring up memories of those that have passed away. Also, families are facing more financial hardships than in years past.
“The thing about Christmas or any holiday, it kind of brings up all of those losses and hurts and anxieties. If you’re going to hurt, that’s the time you’re going to feel that pain,” says Collins.
Collins felt that Blue Christmas was a way to help people share their grief. During the service, each person is asked to light a candle to commemorate a loss. He says all of the lit candles act as a visual reminder for people, so they’ll know they’re not alone.”
Things are looking slightly better in California, one of the hardest hit job markets in the country, where there was some good holiday news today. KQED reported that the economy will be slowly lifting out of recession, according to a forecast from Beacon Economics.
And to start off your weekend on a holiday note, NPR Music has compiled its annual list of holiday music. Enjoy!