Midwinter Blessings

Hopefully everyone has finished trimming the tree, wrapping gifts and everything else that goes into making this the merriest time of year. The season of celebration—when people of all faiths gather with family and friends, to share traditions and make new memories—is upon us.

Plus, to start off, there's a little gift from Nature: from this point of the days are getting longer as the Sun begins to regain strength. A blessed Yule and solstice to all!

What it is about this time of year that fills us with happiness and allows us a sneak peek back to childhood? A season so magical that we tend to practice generosity a bit more! A season that somehow makes us take a deeper look into our spiritual self. What makes us pile more work on ourselves with preparations that begin somewhere around Thanksgiving? Love, yes, but traditions are what ignites the magical flame.

Traditions ground us and impart a sense of stability. With so much in life temporary and fleeting, traditions anchor us. They are one of the things that make us unique to other families, giving us something to "come home to."

Traditions last far beyond the moment, connecting past generations to present and future. They're a way to honor and keep the spirit of those no longer with us alive.

The best thing about traditions is there is no right or wrong way—we sort of take what we know, and perhaps add to it.

One of the myriad traditions we have at our house involves an old set of antique candle holders that were my Mother’s; there are four separate porcelain letters that spell N-O-E-L. They aren’t really cute or whimsical, and never do we place candles in them, but for some strange reason have always been a holiday hit—and I will tell you why. We don’t know who in our house started this, but for years the letters are always rearranged to spell L-E-O-N… I'd arrange them back to N-O-E-L, only to find L-E-O-N or O-L-E-N or other variations. To this day, and as I look over my shoulder right now at them, the candle holders spell L-E-O-N!

After Christmas, they are packed away in a small box marked, yep, Leon.

Another tradition is cookie baking , something the kids so enjoyed that back in the day they would wake me on cookie baking day almost as early as they did Christmas morning. We would bake for hours. Chocolate chip cookies, Hermits, peanut butter cookies and, for my youngest son Len, his favorite sugar cookies. (Which were always cut into stars and moon and butterflies with the occasional tree or Santa shape.)

As they grew older and life got more hectic for me, we—or should I say I—sort of minimized that tradition but always made the sugar cookies as a special treat for Len because he is allergic to so much. So this year, we decided to resume the baking tradition. I took the day off and dragged out the huge (I mean huge) collection of cookie cutters. I placed all the needed ingredients along with an assortment of colored sugars and sprinkles on the table and readied myself for a day of baking fun. But they are grown now, and that means jobs and plans of their own and little time when all three schedules mesh. So I alone see to it the tradition of cookie baking continues—modified, yes, but still resulting in a sugary treat.

So, as the big day quickly approaches, dust off those old traditions if you haven’t already done so. Get ready to make some awesome new memories, and remember the true meaning of the season, whatever your belief system is. Remember to share your love and generosity especially with those less fortunate. Give from your heart with no strings attached!

For me, as I stumble over stacks of gifts, I’m reminded of how blessed I am to have this huge, diverse family. Wonderful, healthy children and grand-children that make me smile in my heart each day. I’m blessed to have the best friends anyone could ask for, and clients that are like a second family! Despite the challenges of life, my Higher Power has given me strength and many a miracle.

That is my Christmas wish for you all. May you and your family have a happy, healthy and magical holiday.