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In Celebration of Our Christmas Memories

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Dec 20, 2022
  • 2 min read


The Christmas holidays are such a treasure trove of memories. The sights, the sounds, and the scents of Christmas have very accessible triggers for recall. This year it might be the right time to talk about Christmases past – the ones that bring you joy – and give yourself a boost in how you feel about this past year and all the problems we are still facing.


There is actual science behind the nostalgia with Christmas past. The use of functional MRI (fMRI) imaging has given us in depth information of what is going on in the brain while looking at certain images. Evidence of Christmas cheer inside the brain was found during a study run at the University of Denmark in 2015. A fMRI lights up parts of the brain when there is an increase or decrease in activity in the region of the brain under study. And when there was an increase of activity for this study, that region lit up like a Christmas tree.


When participants saw photographs of Christmas themed images, a network of brain regions lit up, leading the researchers to conclude that they found the hub of Christmas cheer inside the human brain. What that activation really meant is still unknown. One theory that was posited was that the network in the brain could be related to memories or spirituality. Like all studies in neuroscience, the understanding of our internal experiences is changing, and it now seems likely that Christmas cheer may be an emotion.


Now specifically what happens when you feel a lot of emotion when remembering a Christmas past? Memories can be very fleeting. But when a memory is cued by emotion it becomes a certainty that the memory will be remembered in detail along with the emotions that are coupled with it.

At Christmas time, each of us has associations with songs, foods, scents, and activities that label “Christmas Cheer” to categorize the experience. These feelings and emotions are unique to each person. Introducing someone to your Christmas traditions might not be met with as much enthusiasm as you have for the day. It is not something to be upset about, but it should increase your understanding as to why you might be underwhelmed with someone else’s special memories. And if you have had more negative Christmas experiences, you may not get the warm, fuzzy, and joyful feelings for the holiday. You, however, have the power to increase your Christmas cheer or banish your feelings of ‘bah humbug’. This phenomenon is known as prediction, and it is really a numbers game. Your brain is continually running an internal model built around patterns of your previous experiences. The more times your brain has a positive experience relating to Christmas, the easier it is for your brain to construct Christmas cheer on-demand in the future.


If you want to get into the spirit of Christmas spend some time remembering what experiences in the past brought joy to you. Experience the same things today that made you happy years ago. Your memories will start flooding in and your Christmas will be filled with holiday cheer.


Reference:

Robertson,O. (December 24, 2019). The neuroscience of the Christmas cheer ‘emotion’. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/the-neuroscience-of-the-christmas-cheer-emotion-127141



 
 
 

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March was an unusual month for me.  Normally I work on articles, give presentations and generally just stay tuned to what is going on in the field of aging.  This month I “learned” a lot.  Last year I learned how to write a book.  At the time I took the course I thought it would just be a natural extension of all the writing I had done over the years.  WRONG!!  The actual writing of the book was the easy part.  Putting it together into a book was difficult for me.  The course gave me step by step lessons on constructing a book.  Then editing and formatting were just as challenging.  On June 7 last year the book was published!  It was one of the most satisfying days of my writing career. 

Naturally, when you self-publish, you do not have a publisher promoting the book and getting it in the right categories for best sales on Amazon.  That was crushing because I really didn’t know to appropriately market it.  I am a brain health person!  In December of last year, I purchased a marketing program that is based on statistics.  I am technical minded and so this approach made sense to me.  The course is almost completed.  Can’t wait to see if it improves sales!

The next step I am looking at is recording an audiobook.  This is another venture I knew nothing about.  But I am already tagged on Facebook for marketing of audio book programs.  Facebook picks up everything.  Now my husband was creative director for an advertising agency and when I told him I purchased another class – he couldn’t believe it.  “This was my business.  I know how to do recordings, why didn’t you ask me?” Well, I knew he was an expert in that business, but this audiobook needs to meet all the criteria that Amazon requires for publication.  So, he can take care of the recording part of this audiobook, and I will navigate the process of meeting Amazon’s requirements.  We worked on the book together like this. 

Then I talked with some coaching experts on the viability of starting group teaching programs.  Reading The Boomer Brain book and implementing the Brain Healthy Lifestyle have two entirely different outcomes.  This lifestyle is important to maintaining high cognitive function throughout the later years of our lives.  Look for updates as to when I will roll this program out.

My last learning endeavor was attending a two-day bootcamp for Speakers.  I am really excited about what I learned there.  That is a late this year or next year project, but it is one I am really looking forward to.

 

What Is Happening in April?

The American Society on Aging is having their annual conference in Orlando Florida April 21-24.  This is the largest multidisciplinary conference on aging and the annual conference for Members of ASA.  I have attended a number of these conferences throughout the years, and it is consequential.  Keynote speakers and special events are focused on combating ageism in our society.  Although this is a professional meeting, the attendees come from all aspects of aging services.  They have their work cut out for them this year!

April is Stress Awareness Month.  We should be aware of stress every month and understand how we can break the stress cycle.  These are stressful times, and we need to protect ourselves

Here is a positive one “April is National Volunteer Month”.  When I am working with new retirees who don’t know what to do, I talk to them about volunteering. It is important to have a purpose after you leave the workforce.  There are so many nonprofits who need help in all aspects of their organizations.  It is a perfect way to give back.

Finally – It was Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds – the oldest major league team in the nation.  Cincinnati takes that responsibility seriously.  There is always an Opening Day Parade through downtown to the Ball Park.  Huge crowds line the streets and every year there is talk of making it an official holiday.  Schools and employers look the other way when there is an empty desk.  No matter what the outcome of the game is, there is so much joy, and you can feel that energy.  I am fortunate that I get to experience that.  We all need some joy right now. 

Enjoy your April.

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