I still believe in Santa. Though I am sure that he is not a person, he might have been at one time. I believe that Santa is an idea. This time of year I feel that the word Santa is synonymous with the magic of generosity. Though it is unlikely for you to find a magical gift left by this legendary elf, the real gift is much more subtle. The gift is the feeling you get from giving to others and helping those in need. This does not have to be reserved for Christmas time. You can promote this feeling within your heart any time of year.
My family and I spent some quality time together over the last week making Christmas cookies for a family cookie exchange that took place over weekend. This is our first annual family cookie exchange and hopefully not the last. I wanted to create a new tradition we can share as our children grow.
Homemade Invitation
My daughter is 5 and she enjoys helping, and this time that involved applying flour to her face like makeup. It can, at times, be difficult to allow a child to help in baking or preparing meals. That being said, I think it is important to let go of perfection and allow them to get in on the action. As we prepare these cookies together I am transported back to moments in my own childhood where we worked together to prepare our Christmas cookies. I hope that I can provide similar fond memories for my daughter.
There are special things that you can do to enhance your traditions to make them feel even more special. Designing an invitation for our little party made it feel more official (even though it was really just a little addition to our normal Sunday dinner get together). I also placed my cookies in an inexpensive jar that I found at Tuesday Morning with a twine bow. This jar can be used by my family members during the year to come and hopefully they will think of me when they use it.
Special Packaging
Holiday preparations are time consuming and I find that I can easily fall in to Grinch mode. Checking boxes as I complete tasks becomes more important than enjoying the sights and sounds of the season. Having a child is an important reminder that this is a magical time for everyone. Take a moment and enjoy the holiday. Speak nicely to yourself and recognize the good things taking place around you.
Traditions are important – you are not just making cookies, you are making memories and creating your own legacy.
Our Cookie Display
Happy Holidays,
Graciously, G.
Links below are for the Christmas cookies I made this year, do you have any good cookie recipes to share?
the magic of generosity. Though it is unlikely for you to find a magical gift left by this legendary elf, the real gift is much more subtle. The gift is the feeling you get from giving to others and helping those in need. This does not have to be reserved for Christmas time. You can promote this feeling within your heart any time of year.
2nd Hand Spirited 