It’s that time of year again! Boy oh boy did the year fly by. I vividly remember the 1st of January 2016 & feeling a bit depressed thinking it’d be ages before Christmas came around again. Well, I was wrong – it was here in a flash!
Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year! I love decorating, cooking & celebrating with family. It’s pure magic & really is the season to be jolly! I’m looking forward to a few weeks off the blog to spend quality time with the kids to celebrate Christmas & the holidays as a family.
The best present of all
Unfortunately, the commercial aspect of Christmas seems to grow by the year, potentially overshadowing the deeper meaning of Christmas.
As a parent, I think it’s important that my kids know why we are celebrating Christmas, that it’s not just about presents from Santa & what they want. There are so many wonderful lessons to be learned this time of year like giving, being loving & forgiving.
It’s tricky for a child to understand that really & truly the gift of good health, family, love & happiness are the best gifts you can ever have in life. I think it’s really good to explain that to children. Hopefully, they will enjoy opening their presents on Christmas morning while recognizing how fortunate & loved they are.
Being an instrument of peace
A couple of months ago I read a prayer by St. Francis for the first time. Before that I hadn’t heard of St. Francis but the words of this prayer really touched me & have stuck with me! He speaks about putting others first & being an instrument of peace – soothing fears, despair & hatred with love…
The message is so beautiful & I think it’s perfect for this time of year. We can do so much to help others day to day simply by being kind, loving & lending an ear to listen. And of course, keeping our minds on giving rather than receiving. By giving to others we receive much more in return. Here is the full St. Francis prayer if you’d like to read it:
The Prayer of Saint Francis Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.
Happy Holidays
I’d like to wish you & yours a very happy holiday season! I hope you can take some time off to relax & soak up the love of family & friends. Have a very Merry Christmas & a happy, healthy new year!! xx
