Stress exposes tone. Connection restores it. The holiday season reveals culture. It has a way of telling the truth about us. When schedules tighten, expectations rise, and old family patterns resurface, what shows up is not who we wish we were. It is who we actually are. Our tone. Our patience. Our priorities. Our capacity to stay human under pressure. That is why the holidays are such a powerful mirror for culture, whether that culture lives in a family, a friendship, or a w