Written By David Greisman
The days get shorter; the weather, colder; and as the trees lose their color and the fields turn white, some people feel blue.
And yet there is so much to do.
The long, dark nights of winter need not cast shadows. For those who feel down as the holidays approach, there are many ways to stay up.
“A great deal of the family involvement and social interaction in the holidays might also serve to protect against the depression that might come up,” said Holly Chalk, assistant professor of Psychology at McDaniel College in Westminster. Chalk’s specialty is psychological counseling. “For a lot of people, there are holiday parties, business parties, family gatherings, a lot of opportunities for social support.”
But others may not have those opportunities. When loneliness is about to set in, one can get out in the Carroll County area and get going, through physical activity or events that stimulate the mind.
The Carroll Arts Center in downtown Westminster will hold a range of offerings this December, from Christmas-themed shows to the popular Carroll County Arts Council Festival of Wreaths.
“The holidays are a unique time because people who would never go to a play at any other time of year, will go to see one ,” said Sandy Oxx, executive director of the Arts Council.
The Festival of Wreaths involves numerous artists, businesses and groups who make, decorate and donate wreaths for a silent auction that raises money for the Arts Council. This year’s festival, the organization’s 11th, runs from December 3 through December 7.
“Usually we have 230-plus wreaths that are everything from exquisitely, professionally decorated to very comical wreaths to very valuable wreaths,” Oxx said. “It’s just a great event. People love to come see ideas, see the bidding creep up.”
December’s slate also includes a country gospel and Christmas variety show on December 6, a live production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” running from December 11 through December 13, and, on December 19, a show called “A Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas,” which for the third straight year will pair the animated classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with a live performance of composer Vince Guaraldi’s famed jazz score by the Eric Byrd Trio.
“The subject matter of all of these is very uplifting,” Oxx said. “When you think of how the story of “A Christmas Carol” ends, when you think of how “A Charlie Brown Christmas” ends, the fact that they all have very happy, uplifting endings are what makes them timeless.”
The spirit of giving can also extend into the community.
Carroll County alone offers various volunteer opportunities, from working with those in need to pitching in at the local humane society.
“When people start to volunteer at the holidays, it should be the beginning of something they’re going to do,” said Judi Johnson, executive director of Volunteer Carroll, which helps pair people with places to serve. “Generally the volunteer is the one who is the greatest recipient of the service. They start feeling better about themselves and the things they do.
“During the winter and the holidays, especially during the holidays, a lot of people want to volunteer,” she said. “Many of the agencies find themselves full. However, it’s an ongoing need. It’s something that agencies need all through the year, not just at Christmas time. But it’s a good time for someone to get started and connect with an agency.”
And helping others out can be helpful to one’s self, said Karl Yount, who helps head up the “Loaves and Fishes” soup kitchen program for the Westminster Church of the Brethren. The church has a full slate of volunteers who pitch in on rotation to feed more than 100 people each Saturday at its Bond Street location.
“Those who do this kind of volunteering get much more out of it than those people who come,” Yount said. “There’s a lifting from the heart, the soul, the mind, when you do something else for someone when you really don’t have to.”
Many organizations that, unlike Yount’s, still need volunteers. They can be found on Web sites maintained by Volunteer Carroll (volunteercarroll.org) and the Carroll County Public Library’s Directory of Community Services (community.carr.org).
“There are other opportunities. They don’t need to connect with an agency to do something for someone else,” Johnson said. “If we have inclement weather and they have an elderly neighbor, they can shovel their sidewalk.”
Not that snow can be a bad thing. Within less than two hours from Westminster, for example, are Pennsylvania slopes Ski Roundtop in Lewisberry, Whitetail Resort in Mercersburg and Liberty Mountain Resort in Carroll Valley.
“Being in the outdoors, and the beauty of the outdoors, just can make you happy,” said Anne Weimer, spokeswoman for Liberty Mountain Resort, which is just a 45-minute drive up Route 140 and past the Mason-Dixon Line. “You can’t be in a bad mood when you’re skiing down a mountain.”
For those not comfortable with skiing or snowboarding, there is also snow tubing.
“Snow tubing doesn’t take any special equipment or experience. It’s very simple. It’s very inexpensive,” Weimer said. “It’s just like sledding, but in a controlled environment. You’re not barreling downhill toward a tree. And it’s for all ages.”
And a little physical exertion can go a long way.
“One of the simplest things people can do is exercise,” said Chalk, the McDaniel psychology professor. “Something as simple as walking around the block or getting on the treadmill for 15 minutes is enough to raise endorphins and boost mood. There’s a study saying regular exercise can do as much as an antidepressant. Our natural endorphins are a powerful treatment for depression.”
