What images does this bring to your mind? ...

Stressful family get togethers?  Fun filled parties?  Over spending your budget?  Laughing with  family/friends?  Worrying about how you will get everything done?  Delight in your cultural traditions?  Feeling resentful about others’ expectations?

Pleased at visiting those you love?  Eating/drinking/drugging too much?  Disappointment?  Happiness?  Wishing it were already Jan. 2, 2012?  Wishing the holiday joy would last all year?

There’s still time—now—for you to decide how you want YOUR holidays to be.  What is the theme around which you
would like to focus your holiday preparations?

William James, the father of American psychology, said that the greatest discovery of the 19th century was the power of  the subconscious touched by faith.  I would restate James’ observation to include the following, “The greatest discovery of the 19th century was the power of the subconscious mind purposefully directed with wisdom.”

Every human being possesses this limitless reservoir of power.  With it, you can overcome any problem, make any
change you desire in your life.  There is this tremendous power within YOU.

So what if your PAST holidays were not pleasing and satisfying to you?  You don’t need to repeat the past!  What didn’t you like?  What would you like YOUR holidays to be in 2011?

I ask that you take a few minutes and really think about that question.  I’ll write more tomorrow … giving some ideas
about HOW to proceed to create the holidays in the way you WANT them to be.

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I once knew a couple who so over spent on holiday entertainment and presents that they paid until the next November on prior holiday’s credit card purchases.  They were unable to save toward ANYTHING ELSE.  Even when they could no longer remember exactly what they had bought, the balance—and interest—continued.  After a few years of this, they began to dread the advent of the holidays.

This was a shame!  For this couple had forgotten—or, perhaps, had never known—the true spirit of these very holidays.

CHRISTMAS/HANUKKAH:  The Spirit of Love.  Loving is a matter of listening to, and giving from, your heart.  It certainly takes energy and thought!  In addition, it involves varying amounts of time and the willingness to give.  The choice of gift—and whether it need require money—is up to you.

There are service gifts—for example, taking out the trash without being asked for the next month; or reading to a person who has difficulty with eyesight.  Your creativity can guide you to other ideas that would be VERY well received!  These are gifts you can give that require no money at all.  They are fulfilled with your time and energy … invested with your love!

OR …

It could be a different service that certain person would enjoy receiving.  It could be a phone call to let someone know you are thinking of him/her; it could be wishing another well in a special project.  In other words, the Spirit of Love is an energy with which you invest the gift in the process of deciding what to give.

I invite you to “put on your thinking cap” and consider the gifts that you can offer … in the true Spirit of Love offered at this holiday time!