Winter Rituals, Spirit, & Love

My friend, Morgaine, asked a question on her blog about how we see the winter's holidays, what the rituals are that bring us into the spirit of the season, and what makes them special.  I have been thinking about this for about a week.

In the last two years so much has changed in my being, I look at just about everything with new eyes and a guarded heart. Last year I tried to ignore my feelings during the holidays.  I didn't put up decorations, didn't bake to much, and took off to a friends in a secluded place so I wouldn't have to be in our home.  After a year of gradual healing I am embracing the holiday season a little at a time.  I am finding that I am more calm than I used to be during this time.   I know there is some pain when I think of Christmas' in my distant past. I still can't sing a Christmas song, even a very lively one, without crying.  But in my present life I have a wonderful circle of friends and family and I know there's a lot of love in my life. To me it's an entire season of sharing love and warmth with friends, family, people in our daily lives, and strangers. It's not just about one day, the season begins with the Thanksgiving holiday and continues through to New Year's Day.  I hope sometime along the way I can put a warm smile on someone's face who needs one.  It's a time to remember to say hello, I love you, to friends and family we don't see very often and of course the ones we do see. Share a meal with loved ones, old and new.

Then there's the children.  Christmas is magic for children and if I'm lucky the child comes out in me too.  There's magic for all of us this time of year, we just have to know its there. My children are young men now and life has separated us  for awhile.  I am blessed with my lovely, curious granddaughter around.  We made cookies and candies, and went shopping for the children who don't have a warm home, one of the best Christmas rituals I loved most with my own grandmother. When I asked Kaylee what she wanted to do last Saturday, she looked around my house and said "Get a Tree."  She helped decorate it and in the midst of our fun, she just turned to me and said "I love you Grandma."

We went to Morgaine's and made all kinds of wonderful treats, gingerbread men, wreaths, sugar cookies, and more.  We shared a day of warmth and love around the kitchen and the decorations.  That's what it's all about.

And then there's sugar plum fairies dancing......

Happy Holiday Season!