Today... Thought I'd explore what I love about Christmas...

The spirit of Christmas is what touches me the most. How people soften their countenance some... How drivers, unless they're Christmas shopping, are more patient and forgiving. Doors are held open more often, people smile more - again - if they're not shopping.

Oh - Maybe what I love the most is that I avoid shopping!

I'm not a shopper. Though I love to find "deals" like anyone and I will look for those, I will even compare prices and quality etc. . I don't mind shopping and when I'm trying to find a gift idea I don't even mind just "browsing" and I don't even mind coming home empy handed - well as long as I came home with ideas!

Personally, I dislike the commercialism of Christmas - always have - and I hate to think now someone has the mind to commercialize Hanukkah and Kwanzaa... gee wilikers... do we really need more excuses to go shopping? If I were to shop as much as these Marketers would have me shop I wouldn't have room for the stuff and I'd have no time to share with my family!

If I have to choose - MY FAMILY WINS!

No contest!

I'd rather bake cookies and invite friends over to help decorate and eat them! I'd rather build a gingerbread house and decorate it with candies to give to some lucky child or neighbour or friend. (each year it's someone new that gets this treat!) I'd rather put together a fresh baked loaf of bread and a jar of home made jam or soup mix, fudge, home made candy, cheese balls... These were the things that tickled me as a child, the toys were just a by product of it all!

This year I am most fortunate because I have the gift of time - I'm so grateful - for many years now Christmas and spring had been the busiest times for me because of work issues - this year I've truly enjoyed missing that "busy time" and having the time to be able to share with friends and family, whenever it suited... Ah, it's lovely to be so lucky and I am forever thankful to have such fabulous good fortune!

And now I create and bake - this year; white chocolate fudge, dark chocolate fudge (and the best I've ever made yet!), some cookies - shortbread, sugar cookies, coconut, gingerbread... , and tarts - 5 fruit mincemeat, butter tarts and lemon tarts, oh those should be good! Did a test batch of the butter tarts and my partner agreed heartily they were very good - were - the operative word!

I will need to go do some shopping - for boxes to put these goodies in, for a Cabbage Patch baby doll for my grandaughter... and the odd stocking stuffer.

The rest is easy - gift certificates! I have a list of things I know family members need or want - If I can't find it I can always give a gift card and they can get it or something else!

I like to remind myself that "gifting" is a celebration of abundance and good fortune. We all do well to give gifts to each other as through that symbology we all celebrate each other's good fortune and that is a good and healthy attitude to take on - it is a positive, empowering situation, not a drudgery and not a chore.

May you celebrate your own abundance and good fortune with loved ones and may your Christmas be a joyful time for all!