One of the things that’s been on my mind in recent days is creating family traditions to share with my daughter and stepson that emphasize the giving and grace of tthe holidays. There are some wonderful ideas out there – adopting a family in need, creating a personal advent calendar of acts of kindness, volunteering. But perhaps it’s more about the how than the what. In reflecting more deeply on the intention with my partner and my aunt, and thinking back to my own childhood, what comes through as most impactful are the intentions behind the traditions we recall. Modeling truly gracious receiving, the joy of finding just the right gift for someone, and how to cherish the gifts we receive and (or perhaps more because) of the people we share our holidays with.
I may still choose to include some random acts of kindness, but why should that be limited to the holidays? If I want to model generosity and compassion and instill those values in my children, isn’t it more powerful to do that year round? The holidays are a wonderful time to reflect on gratitude and the presence we offer. Hopefully, we carry that into our daily lives throughout the year. So for now we’ll share the holiday traditions that we remember with deep contentment ~ crafting, baking and spending time with loved ones. It’s been a good reminder that the best way to teach something is to model it. To be the change we want to see.