WestJets Elaborate Surprise - Unbelievable!

With the help of 175 volunteers,  WestJet put on an elaborate surprise for 250 Calgary bound passengers from  two flights out of Toronto Pearson International Airport and John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport.  Watch what happens

Depression: Tips to make it through the holidays.

For some people, the approaching Christmas Holidays are the most dreadful time of the year.  While others get excited at the thought of family visiting and gathering for a huge feast, exchanging gifts and reminiscing about Christmas past.  They get right into making sure that everything is perfect, the decorations get hung and the lights strung through the trees.  That the dinner is all planned and the wine is bought.  They have organized everything down to the tiniest details.

This time of year is very stressful and depressing for many people. It's often referred to as "the holiday blues."  The thought of shopping for the perfect gifts, arranging to hold the holiday dinner or, making plans to travel to another family member's home.  It can be overwhelming.  Then there are the company parties, Christmas Eve gatherings and other social activities.  The thought of having to be social or, leaving your comfort space, picking out something nice to wear so you fit in.  You worry about the cost of everything.  It's hard to make ends meet on a regular day and now you have to worry about providing a special Christmas for your children and family.  You feel as though you have to keep up with the Joneses.  You might be afraid that your children will get teased because they got a doll instead of a laptop.  All that adds more anxiety to what you are already feeling and may make you feel defeated.  

This may just be a temporary depression from the pressure you are putting on yourself to have a fairytale Christmas.  For others, they struggle with depression everyday, and have for years.  For them, it is beyond overwhelming.  They can barely plan their day to day activities let alone plan for something in advance. Organization has pretty much gone out the window.  Where do they start first?  What to do next? How will I get everything done?  It is very frustrating when you can't focus on the tasks at hand. You feel like crawling under the stairs and hiding until the New Year passes.

The worst part, that makes matters worse, is knowing that you should be enjoying this time of year. You're family tells you, your friends, people at the check-outs in stores telling you to enjoy your Christmas, even the happy Christmas shows and commercials on TV. Hearing it once or twice is daunting enough but, when you see it or hear it everywhere, it's a real downer.

If your depression is so bad people start to notice, or, you don't feel the slightest joy from anything and can't be bothered.  You should seek professional help immediately.

There are some tips and tricks to help you survive the holidays.  You just have to be open to trying them.  One of the most important to do, cut yourself some slack.  Don't force yourself to be happy and smiling, let your real emotions out.  Express to your family how you are feeling and that you are not up to holding the dinner party this year.  They will understand.  Don't be afraid to spend less. Appreciate what you have and stop worrying about what you don't have.

Forget about getting the perfect gift.  Give a gift card or certificate, the recipient will be happy they can get what they want.  Forget about an expensive suit or dress.  People will be happy that you even showed up and they get to see you.  Shake things up and spend Christmas with someone other than your family, or if you can, go on vacation, relax and do what you want to.  Avoid consuming too much alcohol as it acts as a depressant and can make people more open in a negative way.

Get yourself outside.  Exercise, sun and fresh air will get your endorphin levels up.  Those are the body's natural antidepressants.  Shovel the driveway or, your neighbour's driveway.  Play in the snow with your children or a pet.  Just 20 mins a day outside has proven to greatly help your health and your mental health.

Avoid family conflict.  If you know there is someone you are not fond of, stay away from them. Don't worry about them at all.  If you are too busy thinking about them, you are missing out on things that are positive.  If they insist on approaching you, tell them nicely how you feel and that you would rather not socialize with them. Excuse yourself and take a break from them in another room or, step outside.

Talk to people that support you either in person or on the phone.  Express your emotions, tell them what's going on.  Even if they don't have a solution and just listen, it will be off your chest and you focus more on the positive.

Get out into the community and volunteer.  Help a Santa hand out gifts or help out at a homeless shelter.  You will feel better knowing that you were able to help someone and make them happy.It will give you a sense of accomplishment.

This is just a fraction of what emotional upsets occur to people during the holidays.  There are numerous other resources to help you through the holidays when you need a little support.  There are crisis hotlines, plenty of online information, counselors and organizations there to help as well as doctors.  What works for one person, may not work for another but, there is help that is suited toward your situation.

Written By:  Mike Crawford

Let Us Help Give The Less Fortunate A Special Christmas This Year.

Every year, at this time of year, we start worrying about our holiday plans.  Who is going to hold the dinner at their house this year, who is going to offer space for out of town friends and family to stay and all the things you are going to do, to make your Christmas special for you and your family. Many people have found it necessary to cut back from previous years for economical reasons but, still provide a decent Christmas for all.

While we are buying the holiday food and numerous, expensive toys to keep Bobby and Susie happy, we don't think of the less fortunate people in our community.  The parents that have next to nothing. There are sacrifices for themselves, so they can provide SOME kind of Christmas for their kids. They may eat less, cut back on necessities they need for themselves or, even borrow money from friends and family that will be a struggle to pay back.

Luckily, there are organizations that are able to help during the Christmas season and throughout the winter.  They provide hot meals when they can to the homeless and less fortunate.  This year has already been a tough year for food banks.  They haven't had much stock to fill the shelves.  Although, many companies give them food, there is still a shortage.  Donations from the communities through food drives and fundraisers are also a great help.  Unfortunately, it's hard to keep up with the needs of the increasing amount of the less fortunate due to more and more people needing help each year.  More people are losing jobs or having their hours cut back and even taking pay cuts.

There are great companies that donate to organizations what they produce, such as Turkeys and Hams, bags of frozen vegetables and potatoes and such, to provide a Christmas dinner for those less fortunate.  It's all cooked and prepared to serve at various places such as, The Downtown Mission, Street Help and the Windsor Youth Centre, to name a few. For those that have larger families and it would be easier for them to provide a Christmas at home, there are food banks that offer Christmas baskets.  They try to provide holiday favourites like stuffing, cranberries and maybe even a Christmas cake or cookies.  You can also get donated toys from many locations to wrap and give as gifts.

So, this holiday season, while you are out getting everything you need, think of buying a doll or toy truck or crayons and colouring book to donate so these less fortunate kids can receive a present and not feel left out compared to those more fortunate.  It doesn't need to be expensive, they will appreciate just having something new to play with.

Think of a few extra cans of food to donate.  Many grocery stores have a drop off bin or they sell pre-packaged bag and boxes off food you can purchase at the register that will be donated.  Do some extra baking and drop off treats that many children don't get on a regular basis.  If you are crafty, you could knit some hats, scarves and mittens or blankets to donate.  You wouldn't believe how appreciative people are for such items at this time of year.

Clean out your closets if you have old things you don't use.  Clothes, including warm socks and thermal underclothes, old blankets, coats, towels and toiletries, as some places offer a place to sleep and shower.  Most people don't even think about toiletries.  Baby foods and formulas are also needed. You can never donate too much of that.

More and more people have taken to the streets handing out containers of warm food they have left over or, make a cheap and easier dinner and package it and hand it out to those on the streets.

It's understandable some cannot afford to donate their selves but they could volunteer at organizations to help with meals and serving them, handing out toys, help write Santa letters or just read a Christmas story.  If more people even bought 1 or 2 cans of anything to donate or, since food banks are now trying to offer more food groups, items such as hamburger, chicken and eggs are divided up to make smaller packages to hand out.

Every amount of money or grocery store gift card you can donate, big or small, can purchase an array of items like more food, items to help buy supplies shelters need so they can assist those in need.

While you are out hustling and bustling this holiday season, think of something big, or small, that would make someone's family have a special Christmas, full of memories that will last forever.

Although, this story has been about the Holiday season, this help is definitely needed

throughout the entire year.  No one should have to go without!

The CP Holiday Train rolls into Windsor December 2, 2014.
It arrives at 4:30pm and the show starts at 5:30pm.
at
CP Yard at Erie St West and Janette St.

Over it's 3 week journey to get to Windsor,  it stops in every community collecting food and money donations.  They have a concert at every stop that is free but, they do ask you to donate money or a non-perishable food item.  All contributions stay in our community.

CP Holiday Train Website

http://www.cpr.ca/en/community/holiday-train

Happy Holidays from all of us, to all the friends of the 

Windsor Business Networks,

and the Mashup Kaffe.

Written By:  Mike Crawford