HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

“Home,” is often described as a place that serves as a residence for families and individuals. A place where people relax, live and grow. What makes a home are the people around and inside of it.

During the holiday season, the word “home” is savored. Home is about seeing your “home” friends and enjoying your mother’s “home” cooked meal. However, home can also be seeing an ex-boyfriend you thought you would never see again at your local grocery store, or running into an old friend you lost contact with while you were away at school. Home gives off a sense of nostalgia that one thought they would never experience again.

Your Childhood Bedroom

Your childhood bedroom is a space where you likely spent a significant amount of time during your formative years. It’s where you slept, played, studied and experienced various milestones. The physical environment, including the furniture, decor and arrangement, holds memories of your past and personal history.

These positive emotions can counteract negative thoughts or worries that might keep you awake at night and help you get more and better sleep to awaken your best.

Theresa Schnorbach

Your childhood bedroom often reflects aspects of your identity and interests during that period of your life. Posters, decorations and personal items can be symbolic of your hobbies, passions and evolving personality. Returning to this space may remind you of the person you were and the dreams you had at that time.

Running Into an Old Friend/Partner

Relationships, whether romantic or platonic, are often associated with strong emotional connections. Seeing an ex-boyfriend or old friend may bring back feelings and sentiments from the time when you were close.

 We’re often hesitant to contact these “dormant ties” because we are often embarrassed with not having contacted them in a long time and we might be concerned that the other person will reject our attempts to reactivate the tie. However, the response from them is often exactly the opposite—everybody is excited to hear from each other and people report jumping back into the old relationship in a way that makes people happier and relieves stress.

PsychologyToday

People change over time and running into someone from your past provides a glimpse into how both of you have evolved. The contrast between the past and the present can intensify feelings of nostalgia, as you may reminisce about shared moments and how things used to be.

A Sense of Unfamiliarity

Right now, many of us are afraid or concerned in ways that we haven’t been before ever in our lives. Being unfamiliar with the world is a beautiful thing, it allows us to travel through life blind and excited for what may happen next.

 It’s like comfort food—mac-and-cheese may not be haute cuisine and it may not reflect what our normal menu offers, but it brings back images of childhood and safety and security.

PsychologyToday

Home is often associated with a sense of belonging and comfort. During the holidays, the emphasis on togetherness and shared experiences reinforces this sense of belonging, contributing to a nostalgic feeling of being in a place where you are loved and accepted.

Being home for the holidays encompasses a rich tapestry of traditions, memories and sensory experiences that create a powerful sense of nostalgia. While it may feel weird and unfamiliar, it brings back a feeling of memory and safety of a life you once experienced and should continue to experience it.

What’s your favorite thing about being home for the holidays? Tweet us @VALLEYmag!

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