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 34 SLEEPS TO MAKE THE HOLIDAYS WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO MEAN
by christina erl daniels
www.christinaerldaniels.com
Let me be the first person to wish you Happy Holidays!
I've always been a Christmas/Holiday person. I love the build up. The excitement in children?s eyes, the food, the music, the shopping, the socializing, the decorating and of course, the giving. It?s such a fresh time of year. As the weather cools considerably and at four o?clock it?s dark here, so the evening takes on a longer, more cozy feel. It is the 34 sleeps I love as everyday it becomes clearer that t?is the season for miracles if you are looking for them; one can dream about what may be next year, who one wants to become and how life will change?.for it surely will always change.
Ah yes, it's the time for anticipation on so many levels. A time when the biggest dream seems possible and even' Somewhere over the Rainbow' sounds like a Christmas song.
Love is what the holidays are about, but too often I know for many of us, it feels like anything but joyous and loving. When we get caught up in the consumerism, the family dramas, the suburban politics, the stress and hecticness of the holiday season, one can easily find oneself spinning in circles, asking, where have all the angels gone?
But, we do it to ourselves. The people I know who have the best, most relaxed holidays are the ones who plan how their tidings will play out. I?ve never been one of those..you know the planners, but I'm seeing in others the value of having some idea of how we want our holiday season to be.
What is most important to you about the holidays? What brings you joy and makes you feel happy at times like these?
For often, it is those of us who want to spend the holidays with friends and family that never make time to see them and it is those of us who want to be in stillness that find ourselves dragged to every event under the holiday moon.
The holidays, of course, are no different than any other aspect of our busy, modern lives. If we don't define what it is we want, others will do it for us. If we don't decide what kinds of rituals we wish to see part of our families' holidays, others will create them for us. If we don't create the holidays in the image that brings us Joy, that experience will be defined by others.
By the media, the shops, the relatives, friends, co-workers and neighbours will be the ones telling you what the holidays' should be. So the stores tell you it's about shopping, the relatives say it's about church and the boss says it's no different than any other time of year, so keep on workin until the bell rings. Most of us don't say anything about the holidays (other than to complain) so it's no wonder it can feel ...well...empty.
When was the last time you stood back and asked yourself what the holidays mean to you?
For me it's the music that brings back the meaning:
Peace on Earth.
Goodwill to All WoMen.
The Miracle Of Birth.
The Gift of Giving.
Silver Bells and All Things Beautiful.
Hearing the Angels Sing!!!
I could go on, but I think you get a sense of what defines the holidays for me. It's about Spirit. Holiday Spirit. The Holy Spirit. The Spirit that ignites a life and inspires one to be Joyful.
When you are able to define what the holidays mean to you, then you become able to create a magnificent way to celebrate a year of accomplishments and growth, as well as, the fresh start of the new year that awaits you just around the corner. This is the time to settle into ourSelves, go homeward and quietly contemplate what kind of person we've become this year, what kind of karma we've created and visualize where we see that going in the next year.
The greatest gift you could give yourSelf is the time to reflect and visualize a future that will bring you Joy, thereby engaging in the creative process of building the life of your dreams.
Think about how you want to spend your time and then start making the plans right now to do that. If you want to take this opportunity to take all your kid's outgrown toys to the shelter this year, or buy a stranger a cup of coffee, then do that. If you want to have a big holiday party, plan it now and don?t wait until it's too late. See if you can challenge yourself to create a new tradition of what the holidays mean to you and bring that into your celebration this year so that you can teach your children what holiday Spirit truly is.
As a society we don't value tradition and ritual enough anymore and that void has been filled with many meaningless practices like shopping and drinking the holidays away. No wonder it's hard to find meaning in it sometimes.
But, it's up to us. Each one of us to fill our little circles of friends and family with Spirit again. So, instead of calling the bah-hum-bug routine, why not see if you fill that void with the meaning that is true for you?
Why not see if you can make contact with your own Clarence and re-discover the wonder of a season so bright and full of hope, it could make anyone believe.
BELIEVE. BE BLESSED & Happy Holidays!
Namaste.
Pass it on.
christina
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www.christinaerldaniels.com
To BLOG with me and others, go to http://www.empowerment4women.org/community/blogs/babesandtheburbs/
 christina, writer and speaker is also co-creator of Earthy Family's first recipe eBook - christina and Demian Richardson worked hard creating and re-creating the wonderful recipes found in this book. The eBook is full of wonderful, healthy, nutritious and tasty recipes perfect for your holiday baking and brunches. To order your copy Click Here.
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