[Originally published in the Monroe News on December 22, 2023]
It's almost Christmas time and so that means we're all thinking about new clothes right? I mean isn't that what every person is the most excited to see in one of those boxes under the Christmas tree? Okay, maybe not. I know when I was a kid I dreaded the idea of seeing one of those rectangular boxes that looked like they were from a department store that surely must have had clothes in it. New clothes were the last thing I would have wanted for Christmas as a young kid. I'm not entirely sure that has changed since I've become an adult. Although, I will confess I may have a new pair of dress pants on the list this year.
There is another reason many among us might truly be interested in new clothes at Christmas especially with the new year right around the corner. There is something special about getting a new outfit, perhaps even a whole new wardrobe of clothes, that can really bring a new season to one's life. As many of us contemplate what the new year will hold for us The idea of a fresh start or a big change might be enticing. Often a new set of clothes is a part of that. Consider how many new students love to have a new look for the start of a school year. How many new workers love to have a new outfit to begin a new job. There's something special and refreshing about newness in our look. It's almost as if we can become a new person and start over.
