Day 88: We Wish You a Merry Christmas….
We Wish you a Merry Christmas…
We Wish you a Merry Christmas…
And a Happy New Year!
Christmas Day is always a time of reflection for me. I pull out my journal and try to scratch out a few notes on the highlights from the past year. Somewhere between the preparation and “being in the moment” of all the Christmas fun, it’s worth taking a few minutes to take a deep breath.
It’s 6:00 am on Christmas morning and that little bit of quiet time is right now for me before my 3 year son wakes up and “all hell breaks loose.”
When I look back at the year, there are so many highlights that jump out at me. Whether it’s the every day little moments or major life altering experiences I will never forget I remember everyone. One that stands to me is launch day of 365give. It was terrifying as well as exciting.
I knew no one was waiting for that moment I posted my first GIVE (except my family of course) but for me it was the moment I truly made a commitment. A commitment to make GIVING a priority in my life. A commitment to the spirit of Christmas 365 days a year.
To me the spirit of Christmas is the generosity in our hearts that shines through in every way, every day. It’s the feeling we get when we give a gift to a person and we watch them open it – you almost glow watching them receive something that was so important to you, to give to them.
That’s what I do every day. Every time I GIVE, I get that spirit of Christmas in my heart and it feels so good! For all the work 365give takes some days, it’s worth every minute of my time because it feels so good knowing that the spirit of Christmas is alive in me every day.
Day 88: Give 88
Over the years many people have approached me in different ways, asking how they could volunteer over the holiday season. As I worked with the homeless and hungry in Toronto for some many years, I understand the need that is out in our communities and also a need for people to help at this time of year.
I often miss my volunteer work with the homeless. It is grounding and brings out the best in me. A compassion one may have never have known existed.
I wanted to do something on Christmas Day to help someone that may not have all the luxuries that my family is blessed to have over the holidays. One of those things is Christmas dinner. sometimes we take for granted the abundance of food we have over the holidays. The headlines are filled with the 10 pound bulge we all need to work off after the plethora of food, drink and sweets over that two week period.
There are many, even in our fine city of Vancouver who will go hungry today. A tough one to swallow while we eat so much we won’t even want to move at the end of it all.
This Christmas I wanted to fill my belly with GIVING rather than food. I wanted to GIVE a family the gift of a traditional holiday feast which they might otherwise not have. Some may think this is a little crazy to make not only one, but two full Christmas dinners, but I figured if I was making one how easy it be to make double of everything. Two turkeys, two heaping bowls of mashed potato, green beans, carrots, brussels sprouts, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce and even two Christmas puddings. I didn’t do it alone – thank goodness for my own Mom who stepped up right away and pitched in to help.
I got everything cooked and ready to go. The car loaded up, Santa hat on, and just a few minutes down the road I was helping a Mother that could use an extra elf this Holiday season to bring gifts and make the Christmas dinner.
I wish some days I could truly explain how unbelievable it feels to GIVE with no agenda. It warms my heart, it warms the heart of the person I am giving to and with any luck I am hoping it will stir something inside of you that will warm your heart and reach out into your world to GIVE. It may be Christmas Day today but the spirit of Christmas can be alive in each of us everyday of the year.
I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas.
Time Commitment: Hours preparing an addition Christmas dinner
Cost: $50.00 (the turkey was free with my turkey dollars)