Are you jolly this holiday season? Or, do you have a reason not to be jolly? What’s the source of your joy?
Living in New York City, I’m constantly bombarded by window displays of “joy” packaged as pricy gifts wrapped in luxurious fabric, stylized in fancy fashion with mesmerizing models, or marketed as hi-tech toys for wide-eyed children. Especially around this time of year, joy is hyped as a Must-Have – commodified and showcased as a purchasable item with extraordinary excitement. Obviously, this spectacle is not all that different from any other metropolis where the meaning of Christmas is often commercialized, materialized and idealized as a “gift-giving” opportunity among families and friends.
Gifts are great, don’t get me wrong. They express a sentiment from the giver, the thoughtfulness, the generosity, the love and care. However, gifts are not the source of joy. Or, are they?
I’ve always felt that gifts can be a source of joy, especially if the giver is someone I know, or care about. I personally care less about the monetary value or brand name of the gift, and more about the thought behind it. And frankly, I’ve never given much thought to the making of a gift unless it is hand-made by the giver, or by an artisan in remote places with rare and limited resources.
With that kind of mindset, I was blown away earlier this week when I walked into a decorous bazaar stocked with gift items big and small, some pricy, some not – all artfully arranged. Here – a huge high-ceiling store called “Urban Zen Marketplace” located in New York’s West Village, a haven for arty shops and cool cafes – one feels exhilarated by the fine mix of superficial consumerism and spirituality beyond the surface. All the merchandize are made by human hands and placed on or inside natural woods and wardrobes from exotic jungles.
I wasn’t planning on shopping for Christmas yet, but I found myself drawn to each and every item – all handiwork by artists whose business is not purely commercial, but combined with a charitable cause. At the helm of these philanthropic artists is America’s fashion icon, one of my favorite designers – Donna Karan. I was invited to join her at the opening of Urban Zen Marketplace to unveil her concept of “Soulful Economy” – where artisans from all over the world are invited to sell their handmade products – from accessories assembled from recycled materials such as old fire hoses, to clothing collection manufactured with Ethiopian hand-woven garments, to stones of hearts hand-picked and produced by Haitians. My husband and I bought several of these stones of hearts in different sizes and touch – a portion of the proceeds from the sale goes to supporting the art community of Haiti and preserving the rich culture of that country.
In a walk-through of the space, Donna Karan told a journalist from WWD (Women’s Wear Daily) that there are many people who are buying mindfully. She said, ‘Why don’t we celebrate the whole concept of conscious consumerism, of buying something and giving back and making a difference in somebody’s life?'”
Karan believes this “Soulful Economy” movement is likely to grow over time. She’s talked frequently about the idea of dressing and addressing. In her own words – “It’s not only what you’re wearing on the outside but also on the inside. There is a soul there, an artisan hand. There is a conscious way of doing business.”
I don’t know Karan well, but we’d met socially and discussed her personal passion for an integrated therapeutic approach to health and healing. She’s previously counseled me on how to approach my father who’s suffering from Parkinson and dementia with my quiet presence and gentle touch. This evening’s event at her pop-up holiday marketplace has left me with thinking about the deeper meaning of joy this season.
Joy is a fountain of happiness that springs from the soul, a precious fruit of the human spirit, an organic fiber of our well-being.
Joy is a mindset, a mood – it can be cultivated and elicited, but not bought or sold.
Joy is beyond gifts. Soulful gifts elicit more than joy, they bring bliss: they can be a genuine smile, a heartfelt touch, a hand-written card.
‘Tis is the season to be jolly.
Merry Christmas!