Sunday, December 5, 2010

Reinventing the Holidays

Welcome! 

Did you come to play the game?  Well, here it is:  Post your craziest ideas on how to rework these holidays into something that revives your spirit, deepens connections, and refreshes the planet in some way.  Just for blogging, you have a chance to win a $65 gift certificate at the Creative Healing Center in Bainbridge!

Blog away.  Write your thoughts in the comment section of any or all of the three sections below (#1 Extraordinary Self Care, #2 Deepening Connections, & #3 Greener than Green).  Each article gives you another chance to win. 


Here are the contest Rules:
  • The Creative Healing Center will select (at random) on winner from each of the three categories below.  You can enter all three, or just one or two. 
  • Gift certificates are transferable, but not redeemable for cash. 
  • Drawing will be December 20th at noon.
Questions:  Email Connie or Cindy.

2 comments:

  1. What a wonderful idea Connie! Rather than the 12 Days of Christmas, I would propose we set aside the last two weeks of December (when schools are closed and many offices are slow anyway) to create the 12 Days of Extraordinary Self Care, Deepening Connections and Planet Care.

    On these 12 days, families would take the time to do 1 thing in each category.
    - 1 thing to help themselves: maybe something they've been putting off for when they'd have more time, or to try a new health/wellness modality they've always wanted to experience. This could even be just to make themselves pause for 15 minutes to breath or meditate. (I know I don't let myself do this as often as I should!)
    - 1 thing or activity each of the 12 days with family or friends to strengthen those bonds. This could be to simply make a call, play a game with family members or cook together.
    - Do 1 thing each of the 12 days that is supportive of our environment. This could be reading up on an environmental problem, talking with your kids about an issue you support or simply making sure you recycle or reuse something that day.

    Again, great idea and maybe I'll actually try that this year... amidst the noise and haste of the holidays as they are!

    Melissa

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  2. No gifts, no big dinner to prepare, but you and those you really care about go to a spa for the holidays. Each person could gift themselves with the retreat or donations are put into a fund all year to pay for the event.



    This takes time not money: create decorations specific to all those you want to gift. Hang them on your tree, or place them in a basket and when you see the people they are meant for, pass them on.



    For the technocrat: Christmas day is spent in pyjamas, in front of the fire (if you have one), with a pre-prepared dinner and a visit with everyone you want to see on SKYPE. This could need a schedule, but technocrats wouldn’t find that a stretch.



    Give your Christmas funds to the local shelter and spend Christmas day with loved ones sharing a pot luck meal



    Spend Christmas day building bird feeders with your family, fill them with bird seed and give the birds a feast.



    Create a board game for Christmas with pictures of everyone you care about on the board. Don’t forget pets and those no longer with you. Whenever you land on the picture of a person, you take the time to say how special that person/pet is to you (or has been if they are dead). Dwell on the gifts of love and compassion each has given.



    How about a 100 mile dinner. Ask each person to bring something they have made, gathered, or bought locally for the meal. It could be preserves, jam, something grown or gathered and frozen, a collection of branches cones or berries for a table decoration. For instance, someone could grow or purchase a locally grown squash and prepare that for dinner, or whatever. The emphasis is on small, local and made to avoid commercialism and transportation.



    How about a day spent skiing or sledding or hiking with a thermos of mulled cider, tea or coffee and hot soup (turkey if you want) shared outdoors or when you return.



    Pretend you are one of the wise men. Remember that Christ lives in everyone. Take a gift to someone who has a need. It could be someone you know or someone you don’t. Local churches and social agencies can always give you a list of people you can gift. The gift could be recycled, or a gift of food, gloves, socks whatever. The thing is to travel to do it personally not by dropping it into an anonymous bin.

    Barbara Guest

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