Pollyanna is the main character in a book by Eleanor Hodgman Porter (made into a wonderful Disney movie, of course!)
Ms. Porter said that "Pollyanna did not pretend that everything was good...she represented a cheery, courageous acceptance of the facts. She understood that unpleasant things are always with us, but she believed in mitigating them by looking for whatever good there is in what is."
The classic example from the story is that she was accidentally sent a pair of crutches in the missionary barrel instead of the doll she wanted. Her father cheered her up by creating "The Glad Game" - challenging her to find something in the situation to be glad about. She chose to be thankful that she didn't need them.
OP, sorry you're overwhelmed this season. I'll notch down the pixie dust I'm sending you a
tiny bit:



