Feeling the Season
I think I am going to do things differently this year. I have made a decision to "unclutter" this holiday season.
This year I am going to slow down and watch and feel the season. I am going to remember what Christmas is really about. I am going to actually "experience" Christmas this year.
The first thing I'm going to do is to declutter my environment. I will clean and dust and box up ALL my usual knick-knacks. I LOVE the feeling of space. This process is also symbolic of the changes I continue to make in my life and how things are just more meaningful and deep to me now. I am clearing off the clutter and seeing things thru clear eyes.
Then, I'm going to pull down my Christmas boxes and I am going to pick out only my VERY FAVORITE and meaningful decorations. I will carefully choose a location for these items so I can feel a sense of joy when I look at them.
I am still debating the tree. Our tree is about 20 years old and each branch must be placed on the tree one-by-one. I love the way it looks when it is finished and sparkling with the ornaments and lights but I can't help but conjure up negative thoughts about the process of putting it up and taking it down. I thought about getting a small potted real tree and using it each year but I haven't decided. I'll have to ruminate on this for a while. I'll let you know what I do. I am craving simplicity this year so I can spend more time and energy on the people.
I am also going to become very thoughtful about each gift I give. This year I am going to make sure each person knows I how much they mean to me. I don't know what this will look like yet, all I know is that there will be NO wasted money or time or wrapping paper. The gifts I give might not cost anything at all but it will be from my heart.
Lastly, I am going to try very hard to be open and unexpecting. I do not want to have pre-conceived ideas on how anything will go. I plan to sit back and let the events unfold before me. I will try to notice the smiles and the hugs and the love. I will notice the innocence on the children's faces. I will do a lot of hugging and laughing. I will feel the season!
