Sunday, December 20, 2020

Feeling The Christmas Spirit

This year, more than any other, has been challenging for many people to feel the Christmas spirit.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "I'm just not "feeling it" this year."

And I completely understand. 

Who would have ever thought we'd go through all that we've gone through over the past nine months?

In one way it feels like it was only yesterday that this started. And in another way it feels like we've endured two years of this.  

However, I'm trying to use this time to stand back, alter my perception, and reacquaint myself with the "heart" of Christmas, rather than listening to all the external noise and distraction that continues to besiege us. 

I know that we're all in one way or another, experiencing unsettling feelings and emotions. However, when I look at my life, and I mean really look at it despite of what's going on, I have no reason to complain and every reason to rejoice.   

 

Last week while sitting in a park enjoying nature, I closed my eyes, took a few deep breaths, and let go of all the tension I was feeling in my mind and body. And as I started to relax, I began to feel my heart soften with tremendous gratitude for all the blessings I have in my life. There are so many people in this county right now who are struggling financially and have family members they need to provide for. Not everyone has had the ability to work from home. I can't even imagine the stress and worry these people are experiencing, particularly at Christmas. I feel so unbelievably lucky because it's only myself I need to support and have the means to do it -- I have a job, a comfortable place to live, food, clothing, and my health. I know those things seem like just the basics, but right now there are people who are grappling just to stay afloat because they don't even have the basics.

So, what I've been doing this past week is taking time every day to remind myself of how blessed I am. And I'm also taking time to think of others by sending lots of positive energy and love out into the world for anyone who is struggling, in the hope that it gives them a sense of peace and support. 

In a beautiful and unexpected way, this Christmas has allowed me to reconnect to the spirit of Christmas.

Which for me is about sharing grace, being grateful, and making it simple but significant.

And speaking of simple, as most of you know, I live in a small studio. So I don't have a lot of space to display holiday decor.

Today, I would like to share what I refer to as "My Little Christmas Corner."

Many of you have already seen my Christmas corner from previous holiday posts. However, this year I thought I'd give you a more detailed look at the tiny ornaments and decorations that give me so much joy. 

Here you go...

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I got this small teddy bear two years ago at Starbucks. 

I have him siting at the head of my bed, next to my pillows. 

Isn't he adorable?

Every morning I kiss his precious little face before I put him back on the bed...

And this is my new mini (12") Christmas tree. I had to toss my other one in the trash because it was literally falling apart. The needles were cascading off the branches like an avalanche. I also had to purchase new mini lights because after 10 years, the old ones finally burned out. Permanently.

I refer to this tree as my, "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree."

Santa...

Mr. Snowman...

I love angels...

A flying snowman...

One of Santa's reindeers...

Christmas wreath...

I forgot who gave me this ornament of a hamburger, but I think it's so cute...

This next Christmas decoration is an item I purchased from a store I used to work. It's a tiny French bulldog (Frenchie) in a snow globe. And believe it or not, inside Frenchie is a peppermint lip balm. All you have to do is twist his head off and the lip balm is inside. Isn't that disgusting? Which is why (after THREE years) I've never taken him out of the snow globe and used the lip balm.

I just keep him there as a decoration...

And of course, my favorite little creatures in the whole universe, squirrels...

  

This squirrel was gifted to me by one of my blogging friends (Gail) many years ago when I first started this blog. She no longer blogs and I miss her dearly...

And last but not least, my Elf on a Shelf, who I initially named, Sam, because I thought it was a boy until I removed him from the box and saw that he was wearing a skirt. So I renamed her, Samantha the dual-gender Elf on a Shelf...

I won't be posting again until after Christmas, so I wanted to take this time to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas filled with grace, blessings, and tons of love!

💗