Hello My friends,
Here are some tips to remember.
12 Ways to Remember the True Meaning of Christmas
Amid the bustle and the buying, the eats and the treats, take time to rekindle the real spirit of the season.
1. Keep a candle burning.
The constantly burning flame, holding back the darkness, is a potent
symbol of life in the heart of winter. On the first Sunday of Advent,
some Christians carry home a taper, lit from their church's Advent
candle, and keep it burning until Christmas day using a series of
candles. Keep your Christmas flame on the table during family meals.
You might also like to follow the tradition of lighting three more
candles -- one for each week of Advent.
2. Support a worthy cause.
Make a donation in someone's name to an organization you know they'd
like to support, such as the American Cancer Society, the American
Heart Association, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation or the
Christian Children's Fund. Check out the Internet Nonprofit Center
Library at www.nonprofits.org for a list of the top charitable organizations in the U.S.
3. Write a letter to your past.
Is there someone you wish you'd thanked for a kindness you've
remembered all your life? An old friend with whom you've quarreled and
would like to be reconciled? Someone you've never been able to tell "I
love you"? Now is the ideal time to grab pen and paper and write a note
to tell them so.
4. Give a gift that's really needed.
Often we buy people presents just for the sake of buying them
something. But there are many things the people on your list would love
that aren't store-bought. That's why Jan Gonder, a Reader's Digest
reader from Los Angeles, came up with the idea of giving coupons
redeemable for some of her time and talents. Last year, she gave
coupons for teaching calligraphy and needlepoint, even tutoring for the
SAT exams. The idea is to match the service with the person's need. As
Gonder explains, "Children might appreciate coupons relieving them of
chores, teens with driver's licenses a chance at the family car, or new
brides a promise to help write thank-you notes."
5. Plant a real Christmas tree.
A lovely way to remember this Christmas, this could also make a great
last-minute gift for a nature-loving friend. For just $10 and a phone
call (or the click of a mouse), you can help American Forests, the
nation's oldest nonprofit citizen conservation organization, plant ten
trees in a threatened forest ecosystem. Their Global ReLeaf program
plants trees across the United States in areas that have been damaged
or destroyed by natural (or human-made) disasters. The program has
planted over 13 million trees since 1990 in 45 states, with a goal of
planting 20 million trees by the end of the year 2000. If you plant ten
or more trees, American Forests will send a personalized certificate to
you or the person of your choice. Call American Forests at
800-873-5323, or visit its Website at www.americanforest.org.
6. Create a new family holiday.
If it's tradition to spend Christmas Eve with all your husband's
relatives and Christmas Day with yours, you may feel you miss out
celebrating the holiday at your house with just your immediate family.
Lynne Blalock, from Memphis, reports that she and her children never
seemed to have any private time to enjoy Christmas together. So she
took matters into her own hands and invented a new family holiday. "We
created Christmas Adam on December 23rd -- because Adam came before
Eve," says Blalock. That's the day when they open presents and have a
special meal just for the immediate family. And though Blalock says her
life is less hectic now, "Christmas Adam is still a tradition."
7. Create a Christmas gift book.
This idea comes from Elizabeth Berg, the author of Family Traditions: Celebrations for Holidays and Everyday
(Reader's Digest). Buy a beautiful blank journal to record the gifts
you and your family receive as well as those you give. This book will
come in handy when it's time to write thank-you notes, and in
subsequent years, it will help you avoid giving the same gift to a
friend or family member twice. It also serves as a lovely record of the
thoughtfulness of others -- and yourself.
8. Trim the tree stress-free.
Another great idea from Berg: Give each family member his own part of
the tree to decorate. "Using beautiful red ribbon, divide the tree into
sections so that everyone gets his own place to work," she suggests.
"This will eliminate the familiar 'Hey! I was going to put something
there! That was my spot! I quit!'"
9. Eat by tree light.
After the tree is decorated, have a meal around it. Turn off all the
lights except for those on the tree, and admire its beauty. This is an
especially good idea after a stressful afternoon spent Christmas
shopping at the mall. That's one reason why Carolyn A. Clarke, a
Reader's Digest reader and mother from Manassas, Va., has made eating
around the tree a family tradition. "Young kids enjoy tree lights," she
says, "and they seem to have a calming effect on them."
10. Keep Christmas Eve simple.
Instead of slaving to prepare a fantastic spread on Christmas Eve as
well as Christmas Day, suggest a simple meal, such as pizza, or let
guests make their own sandwiches from a selection of fillings. That
way, you'll have more time to relax and enjoy each other's company --
which is what Christmas is all about.
11. Set an extra place at Christmas dinner.
Each year, there are many people without families who spend the holiday
alone. If you know someone like that, ask him to join you at your
table. Cooking for an extra person won't take much more effort, but it
will make all the difference to him.
12. Go to church.
Whatever your religious practice throughout the year, Christmas is a
time to wake up our spiritual selves. Many find that the familiar
carols and readings stir an understanding of God that proves elusive at
other times of the year. This Christmas, remember the real reason for
the festival -- the birth of Jesus Christ.