As the gifts are all wrapped with love and with care
And we sit down with our feet finally resting upon the chair
I take a deep breath, inhaling this cold frigid air
Exhaling so deeply, letting go of all care
This holiday cheer, this spirit of giving
Thinking of resolutions already…am I really living…
A sweet mug of hot cocoa, yes please more whip cream
As I ask myself - what does it all mean
The lights, the twinkle, the magic of the season
I want to know… what is the reason?
Do you ever ask yourself why we do this? This holiday rigmarole? Don’t get me wrong – I love it – really! The love and warmth that surrounds the holidays, I wish that feeling would last all year.
I realize that most of these “traditions’ stem from religion and have been passed down through many generations.
But why do YOU do it? What are your traditions? What is THE reason for THE season? What does it all mean?
No matter what your family, religious or spiritual beliefs, the holidays for most people involve some understanding that we should be celebrating something exceptional, magical, extraordinary. In celebrating, though, we often lose sight of the things that are truly important in our lives. We get tangled up in the specifics and forget the general point. It’s like a person who spends a year getting ready to throw a big party for themselves to enjoy…. But then the party comes and they spend so much time stressing about every detail, they forgot to enjoy themselves. What was the point? What is the point of a holiday you don’t give yourself time to enjoy?
My traditions stem from the kitchen. Holidays in my family were usually gathered in someone’s kitchen – baking, eating, sipping wine, singing, dancing, laughing. This is my church, my religion, my Christmas. And when I get caught up trying to make it all perfect, stressed by trying to find the right gift, caught up in the commercialism of it all…I remind myself of these traditions – where the only recipe I need to get right is the one below. It’s a secret family recipe, but believing in the giving spirit of the season I’d like to share.
A recipe for enjoying your holiday festivities:
(You may need a large ass cup to mix this all up in - as it may runneth over)
1 huge helping of gratitude.
½ cup of mindfulness.
5 cups of joy.
15 heaping tablespoons of kindness.
1 pint of laughter.
The biggest container you can find of love, the more you add the sweeter it is.
Go ahead and scrap any judgement or expectations you may hold for yourself or others.
Blend ingredients well, bake until golden, sprinkle with a bit of magic.
THE most important part – Enjoy!
Warmly and with much love, from our pearl family to yours –
Merry Christmas + Happy Holidays!