Encouragement for the week …

by julia on December 14, 2008

Don’t know about you but this time of year can be a little stressy.  With so many different events taking place, the extra financial burden, the lack of ability to do all things with all people, the possibility of family gatherings that probably should not gather, the heat…. and so on.

For various reasons and they are long and many,  I am not heading into the Christmas period geared up financially as I would have liked to.  Our three children will not be receiving the gifts that I would normally give them.  We don’t give a lot of presents throughout the year but love to give the children extra at Christmas.

At this stage it is probably only me that is feeling the pain, because I love to give.  I have mentioned to the children that this year will be a bit different and really they don’t care.  I think this is where the whole reason for Christmas can get out of hand.  What should be about a time celebrating the birth of Chirst is often about who to buy presents for, how much to spend, is it big enough, will they like it and so much more.

I love to give and love Christmas time because for commercial reasons it is ok to do so.  So how does not having the funds to buys things at this time of the year make you feel?  For me it raises many issues, things like I have failed in some areas (we shut our business to move interstate after a death in our family). I’m not a good provider, certainly the amount of junk mail indicates that I should be out spending money, yet I don’t have the funds to do so.  I feel disappointed and angry and a bit sad as well.

So today I make a choice I could allow these feelings and really that is all they are just feelings to dictate the way I walk into these next couple of weeks, or I can can the feelings, remember the reason for the season and think outside the box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I encourage you in these weeks leading up to Christmas, to remember the reason for the season and don’t let feelings get in the way.

This week I’m brainstorming ideas on what things I can make and give as gifts, so if you have any suggestions I would love to hear from you.

Have an amazing week.

Julia

 

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The Analyzing of Merry Christmas

by julia on December 10, 2008

The Analyzing of Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Saying ‘Merry Christmas’ years ago used to be commonplace. No one put any thought into analyzing it, they just said it and generally everyone accepted it as being a generic, seasonal greeting. Nowadays, people are spending entirely too much time on analyzing anything and everything until what’s being analyzed is left without any meaning. Someone, somewhere decided that saying Merry Christmas to others was offensive. I can’t explain why they feel it is offensive, but apparently, it has become that way.

Departments store managers started to debate whether or not they should hang decorations with the famous Merry Christmas phrase on it, or if they should simply do without the phrase. It became the basis of lengthy articles in newspapers. Talk show hosts debated it. Somehow, the opinion of a few people in thinking that this popular phrase was offensive, had taken over the minds of so many groups of people. The simple phrase of Merry Christmas had taken away some of the focus of the holiday itself. Religious leaders stepped up and debated what the phrase actually meant. Those offended by the simple phrase argued that Happy Holidays would be much more appropriate as it covered all of the various holidays that occurred around Christmas. While there is a favorable argument in that logic, eliminating the phrase Merry Christmas simply is offensive to a large amount of individuals as well.

In the famed story, ‘Twas the night Before Christmas’, Santa doesn’t fly off into the night saying Happy Holidays. He waves good-bye and says, ‘Merry Christmas to all’. If it wasn’t an issue when that story was written, why has it become such an issue today? Sure, there are lots of people celebrating Hanukkah and Kwanza, but that doesn’t mean that the phrase Merry Christmas has to be eliminated. It means that we should all be respectful of the different holidays. If you know that someone celebrates something different than you do, wish them a wonderful holiday ñ whatever it may be for them. Be aware of the fact that not everyone celebrates Christmas, but don’t let that stop you from saying Merry Christmas. Not to mention the fact that if someone happens to say Merry Christmas to you, and it may not be something that you celebrate, say it back to them. Why? Because it is the respectful and polite thing to do.

The holidays should not be about a simple phrase or who may be offending who. They should be about celebration and happiness. Forget all of the phrases — celebrate what you want, how you want, but don’t take away someone else’s joy by refusing to say Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas

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What is Twitter

by julia on December 2, 2008

About Twitter

Twitter is a unique approach to communication and networking based on the simple concept of status. What are you doing? What are your friends doing—right now? With Twitter, you may answer this question over SMS or the Web and the responses are shared between contacts.

Follow me on Twitter

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