As an enthusiastic gift giver, I have recently reevaluated my gift giving patterns. Gift giving should not be a burden. Push back from this response. Buying gifts should be an expression of friendship and love. This year has encouraged some radical rethinking of gift giving.

Take charge of this Christmas by planning to enjoy it thoroughly. This Christmas checklist offers ideas for more choices encouraging you to create Christmas intentionally for your family. Consider this checklist to create new memories for your family.

Whether you are a first time hostess or a seasoned one, nothing smells more like Christmas than this festive concoction. This heavenly scent wanders into the farthest rooms in my home. Start a new tradition with this recipe.

What do you want to remember about this Christmas? What do you want your family to remember about this Christmas? What do others feel when they have been with you? Is your presence life-giving? Are your words full of hope and encouragement? At the end of the day do you feel exhaustion mixed with gratitude? Are your days full, but empty? What do you want more of? Here are some thoughts for more presence that presents this Christmas.

Part of focusing on being present is contemplating what I LOVE about CHRISTmas! Don’t get sucked into the hurry. Slow down. Be present. Presence is the best present we can give to the person in front of me. Part of focusing on being present is contemplating what I LOVE about CHRISTmas! Once I identify what I love, I can DO more of that.

Borrowed from Al Smith’s Treasury of Hymn History High up in the Austrian Alps in the region known as the Tyrol – “the land of the mountains,” are found the two little villages of Oberndorf and Arnsdorf. In Obendorf lived a young 26 year old priest named Joseph Mohr. In Arnsdorf lived his friend, Franz […]

Being “centered” means that you have a reference point or a place to come back to when life’s challenges and emotions push you off balance. Tim, my husband, and I just completed an eight week pottery class learning how to work on the pottery wheel. One of the early skills any potter must master is […]

As we enter this new month, I propose a new thinking.  Why not approach this entire season with high hopes and low expectations?  High hopes for a renewed sense of joy, family, spiritual insight, memories, and enjoying the activities of Christmas.  Low expectations of myself being superwoman. Low expectations of my kids being perfect and more well-behaved.  Low expectations for my husband to meet my expectations. Low expectations for others in terms of what they might do for us. Finally, low expectations for next year and how it will be completely different.  When hopes are high and expectations low, it is easier to be delighted and grateful.

What a fantastic gift of simplification and the elimination of hurry we have been given this Christmas!! It is unlikely that other Christmases will be like this one. Perhaps this can be one of your best Christmases ever. If you think about it, it is really up to you and to me what we make of this season.