December 2008

Another ‘Festive Season’ about to begin as I sit to write the Scribe for December. What is this all about I ask myself. What does it all mean each and every year as this time draws near?

I am not sure if you, like me, go into ‘auto-pilot’ at this time of year. There are certain things you do each and every year and whilst they might be slightly different, like choosing different cards to send and buying some new decorations for the tree, pretty much this time rolls around in much the same fashion as it did the year before and the year before that and so on and so on. I tend to celebrate it in much the same way as I always have – without pause.

I decided to pause and ask myself “What does it all mean?” What does Christmas mean to me?”

Here’s my reflective thoughts…

Christmas, for me, is a time of giving. It is a time spent with family and close friends in celebration of…

Hmmm….celebration of WHAT indeed?

What do we celebrate each and every year? Why do we celebrate?

Not having a religious upbringing to draw upon I find myself going back into my childhood to try and draw some meaning from what I experienced as a child.

Growing up as the youngest child of 7 meant that Christmas was always a ‘big deal’, well, I say a big deal, but really what I mean is a ‘big hassle’ for my single mum who never much cared for Christmas as it was always a time of expense. A time when there was pressure put upon her to have all the trimmings and do the gift thing when she could barely feed us at the best of times.

My dad on the other hand was a ‘Christmas Junkie’ – he loved it. As soon as December drew near the two of us would jump in the car and go in search of the ‘best’ christmas tree we could find. We always went out bush to cut one down or find a farm that had good supplies and we would drag it home tied to the top of the car. The ritual of bringing in Christmas was always a ‘big thing’ with my dad. The Christmas music would go on, the drinks would be poured and we would spend most of the day decorating inside and out with all the colour and glitter we could find.

My parents split when I was 3 but, for my dad, the ‘ritual’ that was Christmas continued until he died. It was just ‘his time’ of year. He would spare no expense, buy the best food and have enough to feed twenty families when the truth was he only needed to feed one.

My dad wasn’t a religious man and yet he felt such passion to honour that time of year, each and every year. My mum on the other hand found it a time of pain and sadness and so as soon as she was able she handed the ‘baton’ on to us kids who would do the ‘christmas thing’ so she wouldn’t have to.

As I reflect upon this I feel blessed that I experienced both ends of the same stick.

I lived with a woman who really didn’t go for the whole ‘Festive Season’ thing…and would spend time with a man who adored it as if it was the reason he lived.

I feel blessed because I grew up knowing there are choices. I grew up knowing that people want different things and just because my mum didn’t enjoy it, she didn’t stop my dad who enjoyed it beyond measure. Just because my mum found it painful and sad at times it didn’t stop her enjoying herself when someone else did ‘there thing’. Just because dad went overboard, didn’t mean he pressured my mum for not even having a tree.

Yes, I feel truly blessed because, whilst I didn’t know it, I was being given great wisdom of compassion and acceptance and allowing people to just be however that needed to be expressed.

So, for me now, Christmas is a time I celebrate CONNECTION. It is all about giving of myself and to myself. It is a time where I get an opportunity to send people cards and pop in a letter to let people know what I have been up to. It is a time where I get to say ‘I love you’ and ‘thank you for being in my life’ to all of the people who don’t cross my path often. It is a time where I get to feel silly and joyous simply because it’s the ’silly season’ and I give myself permission to be just that – silly!

It gives me a moment to give thanks for the wonder of life. To breathe a bit deeper and feel connected to all that is. It gives me a moment to send my love to total strangers as I stand in line with them at the checkout queues as I feel connected because it is not just me who has left everything to the last minute – yet again!!!

It gives me a moment to fill my heart with joy as I watch kids wriggle about upon Santa’s knee as some very patient soul endeavours to take that ‘perfect shot’ so that grandma and grandpa have yet another photo to add to their mantel.

Yes, Christmas is now a time I look forward to each year. It is a time where I get to stand beside others and laugh at the madness. I get to acknowledge that I am part of that and that I actually embrace it now, rather than hiding away and wishing it would all disappear.

Christmas, for me, is fun and whilst it is crazy busy and invitations to catch up come in thick and fast as if there is no tomorrow I know what it means to me now.

Christmas means CONNECTION.

It serves as a very public beacon that lights the way ahead. A beacon that says, hey…give love, connect with others, have compassion and warmth in all of your dealings, be kind, be happy, let your spirit out!

Let your SPIRIT out. Yes, our spirit wants to connect, to dance in the moonlight, to laugh and acknowledge each other. It wants to love and to feel loved. It wants to be kind and have kindness returned ten-fold. Our spirit wants to CONNECT. Our spirit is our connection. To each other and to all that is.

So, this festive season I encourage you to let your spirit out and I will look for you in the madness and we can acknowledge each other by a kind smile or eyes that say ‘I understand’… Yes, I will look for you and send you love and acceptance for however you choose to celebrate this magical, crazy, wonderful, silly time of year!

Please enjoy yourSELF this Christmas time.

ADDITIONAL NOTE:

I have been ‘instructed’ to bring through an Essence each month which will carry the vibration of the Scribe that has been given. The Essence will be available free with any purchase made during that month by entering the code word.

This month I have been given a special ‘Christmas Essence’ to help during this time of ’silliness’.

Christmas Essence will keep you grounded, relaxed and connected to those around you. It has been designed to bring the Essence of PEACE, GOODWILL and LOVE around you. It can be taken morning and night over a 2 week period which will bring in feelings of peace and serenity, or it can be taken when you need it to give you a moment of relaxation in amongst the madness.

Contents:
Australian Bush Flowers – Christmas Bell, Sydney Rose, Black-Eyed Susan, Sturt Desert Pea and Angelsword
Base – Brandy (30%) & Purified Water

To receive your complimentary bottle just enter the code word “CONNECT” when you checkout.

Thank you to one and all for your support and kindess throughout 2008. As the energy continues to shift and the wheel continues to turn I look forward to connecting with you before the year is done.

This scribe was created with much love and it is sent with many blessings.

Love Julianne xxx