Showing posts with label Countdown to Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Countdown to Christmas. Show all posts

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Christmas Countdown and Reverb 10



Reverb 10

I started last year really looking at the year in review and looking forward. I found it a very valuable exercise.
Today I discovered and joined "Reverb 10":

"Reverb 10 is an annual event and online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. Use the end of your year as an opportunity to reflect on what's happened, and to send out reverberations for the year ahead."

There will be a prompt a day through December. Here are my first 2 responses:

December 1 One Word.Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you? (author: Gwen Bell)

2010:
My word for 2010 was YES. I had hoped this word would help me be more open to all that was available and to try new things.
This year did bring new things – a trip to Mexico, a mixed media course were the biggest of those.
Looking back though, the word I would choose to describe the year would be Emerging. I feel like I have been emerging from the veil of grief, that my creativity is emerging and I am emerging from under the weight of pain and clutter.

2011:
I have already chosen my word for 2011 – BALANCE. The notion of one’s life having 4 rooms appeals very much to me and I would like these rooms to be balanced in my life.


December 2 Writing.
What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?(Author: Leo Babauta)

Each day life gets in the way! I teach, I cook, I spend sometime with my hubby, I spend sometime online, I read the paper or magazines, I do homework, I watch a bit of TV (maybe).
Do I write? Not very often. My desire right now though, is to create art. I am definitely doing it more now than a year ago. Next year, I hope it will have become a regular habit.







Christmas Countdown:


December 2 - Today was creating lists - for Christmas cards, Christmas baking, for gift giving.


It was time for setting up Christmas centres at school so the children have some time to create when they have finished their work for the day.
It was also a time to slow down and listen - to Christmas carols.

One song in particular I have been playing and listening to every day this week, since it was sent to me.


Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Countdown to Christmas


Rowena of "Warrior Girl" has begun a challenge to countdown to Christmas, in a creative way.

This takes me back to the yearly Advent trees I created with my children. Each day would open to an activity that we would do together. We decorated the tree, baked cookies, made ornaments, visited Santa, made a wreath, made a gingerbread house, just to name a few of the activities we did.

I had read a story by Madeleine L'Engle,"Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas" many years ago and I always loved what they did to prepare for Christmas.

There were always several advent calendar: the homemade tree for our activities, a felt one I made with a tree -ornaments were pinned on each day, and a chocolate one for each of the children.
Each day was special and always ended with a Christmas story.
The joy and anticipation of the season has been missing for a couple of years. I went through the motions. Losing my Mom made celebrating very difficult.
This year though, I feel the need to countdown daily, and try to bring that joy back. A time to anticipate the Lord's birth and share love and peace.

Today is my daughter's birthday. I always called her my Christmas baby - now she is a young woman of 26! Where has the time gone!
Dec. 1 was always a time to celebrate her birthday. It was the first window opened. Tonight we sang happy birthday to her and we talked for a while. I love you dear daughter!

I also sent off gifts of ornaments for Louise Gale's swap and a Secret Santa gift as well. Making those gifts and sending cards has begun the building of lovely feelings.

We received our first Christmas gift today - a tin of cookies. A nice way to start December.

Check out Rowena's blog for her Creative Countdown to Christmas. I will be doing an activity a day, sometimes creative; but no matter what, it is a chance to build joy.