The Meaning of Christmas - Like I Know!

Over the last few years, I have begun to realize that a lot of the things that I do at Christmas are just habits. Nothing wrong with good habits for sure, but there's also nothing wrong with taking a look at them once in a while and making sure that they are still serving you. I signed up for an on-line class this summer designed to help me be organized and ready for Christmas. This was a good idea and a good class, but the most important thing I took away from it was that if I need 20 weeks to get ready for Christmas, I'm 'doing' way too much, and 'being' way too little.

Giving gifts is one of the Christmas activities that I'm taking a look at this year. Now, I LOVE getting and giving gifts, more than just about anything, and I don't intend to stop doing either. But I'm not so sure that gifts are what Christmas is all about for me now. I certainly give and receive gifts throughout the year, which is great, so maybe I don't need the stress of finding the 'perfect' gifts for all my family and friends just b/c the retailers are flooding the television and radio airwaves saying that I should. And what if the 'perfect' gift were a letter telling someone how much they mean to me and what they add to my life? Who wouldn't want proof on paper that they were special to someone?

It also occurs to me that the meaning of Christmas might be more about others than about me - ya think?! :-) It's almost too easy to get caught up in the parties and commotion and decorating and wrapping, and forget that there are people who not only won't be buying gifts and baking fruit cakes - they may not be sleeping on a real bed Christmas Eve. Maybe my attention could go to making a difference in someone else's life, not just for the holiday season, but year round. Obviously my work as a Life Coach involves making a difference in peoples' lives, but these are people who already have it pretty darn good, and want to make it even better. Making a a contribution to folks who need the playing field leveled a little could raise the energetic vibration for all of us.

If you have ideas for making Christmas and the rest of the year more meaningful, submit a comment to the blog with your suggestions. Let's create lives together that make a difference! Blessings, Annie