Advent

"Our soul rises on tiptoe as we peer over the horizon.

 Waiting for the appearance of the Morning Star to come...

 and deliver us."

From a morning prayer

Thoughts on Christmas Trees...

• The intoxicating smell of a fresh cut tree is truly unrivaled.
• Everything is better when done beneath/beside/by the lights of the Christmas tree.
• Whenever I stop to truly admire the beauty of any particular tree, I can't help but break into delighted applause! Does anybody else do this (please tell me I'm not the only one)???
• Buying our tree a couple blocks down the road came with some adorable perks this year: a fresh cut, 3 strong men securing it into our stand and getting it perfectly straight and ready to take into the house (!), delivery (which we didn't take advantage of because we brought our truck with us), and a free blow out. - Oh, and Caroline would like me to mention the two bones she was given while we perused. ;-)
• In sum: 

O Christmas tree, O Christmas treeeeeee, 

How lovely are thy branches?

Savor

Savoring is one of the mantras of my life. 

A motto. A song. A theme.

The holidays, while many things, don't typically seem to lend themselves to savoring. Or at least in our common American renditions of the months of November and December. Rush here, rush there, jam pack your social calendar, eat 3 different holiday meals with various branches of the family, ferry around to daily play practices, bake until you drop, decorate up a storm, frantically shop until your list is all checked off... It can be such an exhausting flurry of (albeit merry) chaos!

But dear one, if you're barely standing come January 2nd, there IS another way! 

Savor.

Give yourself the time to stop and breathe this year. Create traditions that are full of peace and reflection. Learn to say no. Give some things you "always do" a year off, and rotate them back in next year. Instead of attending endless holiday parties, throw a low key event yourself for your closest friends. Maybe something as simple as an open house hot chocolate bar. You'll have the joy of celebrating the season with those near and dear to your heart in the peace and comfort of your own home. And then let yourself off the hook. You don't need to please everybody, OR even come up with an "excuse" for not attending every soiree' you're invited to (preaching to my people pleasing self here...).  - 

Why not allow each family member to choose ONE event they would enjoy most during the holidays. Block off days on your calendar for quiet nights together: sitting in front of the fire reliving memories of Christmases past, looking through old photo albums, watching a holiday movie, addressing/stamping/sealing Christmas cards assembly line style, enjoying carols around the piano...

It's hard. It's intentional. It might feel strange at first. But I've found that it's so, so worth it. 

Because everything you do choose to include in your holiday season will now have some breathing room to peacefully enjoy, to be fully present in, to calmly prepare for...

...to savor.