From the Editor: Our Holiday Sprit – being thankful and fighting the fight

Laced with snowy mountains and inhaling the frosty air, we are real characters living inside the traditional carols: “The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, oh, since we’ve no place to go, let it snow, let it snow.”

Our spirits are lifted with the jovial lyrics and timeless tunes that stream the radio waves. From the instrumental piano of Peanuts’ “Christmas Song” to the pop vocal vibrato of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” there is a lift of cheer in the airwaves that prevails even as the days are getting shorter and the cold mornings make it impossible to eagerly get out of bed.

Yet the emotions and sentiments of the holiday season warrant different gut reactions for each individual. Alongside the sugary treats, eggnog, hot buttered rum, candied popcorn and pumpkin spice candles that give our senses a sweetness overload, there can also be a tinge of bittersweet melancholia weaving in to the winter season.

In a world of uncertainty – natural disasters, apocalyptic “End of days” theories and the loss of loved ones – and a world of strife – economic hardships, family drama and the need to live up to expectations – we have a choice to either submit to the feelings of sadness from our personal perspectives, or try to cheerfully overcome them: Playing nostalgic carols, sending touching holiday cards or bringing pans of baked treats to our coworkers.

Perhaps we dream our situations were better; we wish we could afford that new iPhone for our partner or new bicycle for our kid. We might face loneliness because our relatives or blood family members aren’t near. We wish we didn’t feel awkward bringing our same-sex girlfriends or boyfriends around the extended family. And some of us face our own inner-demons or transformations as the holiday season brings forth long nights of reflection. It will soon be a new year; we’ll reflect on our personal growth or the rough waters we have ventured over the past one – pausing to stare ourselves directly in the face.

The colder weather and promise of snow naturally brings our focus inward, making self-reflection as natural as putting on an extra layer of clothing.

Although I whole-heartedly enjoy the Pumpkin Spice lattes at Starbucks and smile at the thought of potluck get-togethers, I have begun my holiday journey of turning inward to reflect.

Thankfully, this melancholy mood is less depressing and self-destructive, and more celebratory of the person I am now, versus the person I was a year ago. From my career to my love life and physical transformation, I have much to be thankful for.

We all operate in cyclical patterns that mimic our environments, so this year, I feel grateful that I can take advantage of moments of peace where I allow myself the time to consider what I’ve done, and the people I’ve met along the way.

As our society gets perhaps overly-obsessed with the commercialism of the holidays, we at Out Front knew that our Gift Guide issue needed to have a slant to it. We decided that we were not satisfied with simply pushing products and talking about the newest high-tech gadgets or must-have designer boots; we recognize that the changes we’ve made as a community happened because of the year-round spirit we as LGBT folks encompass: the spirit of giving.

In light of this, we’ve highlighted organizations and nonprofits in our cover story that need our help – our time and our money – to ensure that LGBT rights aren’t just a passing fad that only involve us if it is an election year. We are the movers and shakers that fight everyday to ensure we all have the opportunity to live a full and satisfying existence. We fight and push the limits of the patriarchal box to help us create an opportunistic future. And we do it together, as a community.

However, we also recognize the importance of physical gifts and expressions that make our loved ones feel special, so we’ve also compiled a guide of affordable gifts, quirky gifts and alternative gifts in the form of adventures and getaways to get your creative gift-giving juices flowing.

So as we move toward Thanksgiving, or the holiday that many see as the precursor to Christmas, let us reflect on the changes that our local community has worked so hard for – be thankful – and continue the cycle by giving back. Because volunteering our time and money toward social movements and equality is the most human aspect of the holiday spirit; and something we are all capable of being a part of.

Let’s take a minute to be grateful, reveling that we get to call this beautiful and diverse community our “family.” We owe our futures and each other the continued fight for equality. We owe it to ourselves to continue our forward momentum to acceptance. Let’s reflect on being thankful and fuel our efforts to continue to create the highest standards for the entire LGBT “family” this season.