Last Friday night, Tony and I baked Christmas cookies. Then we decorated them the next day with our best friends and their kids. But in between putting batches of Christmas tree shaped cookies into the oven, we watched Home Alone on TV.
Neither of us had seen it in years. Though like any movie one watched over and over as a kid, we could still quote most of the lines—and not just the iconic ones. Some movies just stick with you, especially those watched at Christmas.
This is a season rich with nostalgia and meaning. It’s a time when an old movie can make us feel like kids. When we crave foods that we only eat in December. And when our expectations can run high, even when we’re trying so hard to hold this holiday loosely.
That is why today, I am sharing a link to a healthier Christmas cookie, what I am learning about expectations, and some wise words about gift giving from Mother Theresa.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
Love
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know I try to eat Paleo (aka grain and processed sugar free), as much as possible. My body feels better and I have so much more energy when I eat this way. But it makes eating around the holidays especially difficult. It can be hard not to cheat.
That is why I am so thankful for people like Danielle Walker who create delicious recipes that don’t compromise my health. Danielle has a great Christmas cookie recipe in her book, Celebrations, but a variation of it can also be found on her blog under Valentine’s Day Cookies. They are the same great cookies, just in this post she used pink icing and cut out hearts instead of green icing and Christmas trees.
What are some holiday recipes that you—and your body—feels good about eating?
Learn
Expectations can make or break Christmas. I know this because there have been years this holiday has far exceeded what I wanted in all the best ways. Then, I have had Christmases where my desires weren’t met. And times where I’ve watched others carry the heavy weight of disappointment in the very moments they were expecting to feel great joy. Only often our letdown is because we forgot this important step:
We need to say our expectations out loud.
Even if we know they aren’t possible. We need to voice, to our people, what we’re longing for in the days before Christmas. So that our loved ones who may be able to help bring our longings into reality, will have a chance to do so. So that by saying them out loud, we may let them go. Or so that the child in us doesn’t build up an impossible hope, only for it to be shattered Christmas morning.
Your desires for this Christmas matter. They may not all be possible. But your longing for them is important.
Your desires for this Christmas matter. They may not all be possible. But your longing for them is important. And the people who love you, want to know your heart. If they can, they even want to try to not only meet your expectations, but also surpass them. Only, if you don’t tell them your expectations, they will never know. (for more on this, see this post).
What are your deepest desires for this Christmas?
Have you told your loved ones?
Lead
“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
—Mother Theresa
Are you feeling pressure to give the perfect gift for someone you love?
Is it possible that your love is more than enough already?
Do you feel mentally and/or emotionally overloaded by both real life and the Holidays? If so, sign up for my email list and get your FREE copy of my Five Steps to Declutter Your Mind, to help you find clarity and peace this season.
