12 Days of Christmas

The HUSTLE AND BUSTLE!  Can you feel it? 

The countdown has begun in our house—not a day has been missed counting the days until Christmas but I have to confess my December 1^st gusto of focusing on love has been distracted. 

What do we do when curve balls are thrown and jumble up the plans of the day...month?  —we persevere right?!?

As the days draw near I am thankful for an extra pair of hands around my home helping me wrap and prepare for Christmas morning.  And I am reminded first and foremost to love and focus my time on those nearest to me.

So many things that we can choose to focus on and so many things we can think about it.  I’ve read about the 12 Days of Christmas and even encouraged you to give and celebrate Love and I’m not going to stop now! 

I came across some interested information online about the 12 Days of Christmas and one of them being this video.   I’ve encouraged those around me to give simple gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas and my boys and I participated in a very simple way.  We prepared a box of 12 candy canes and gave them out to those around us.  I showered some close friends and family with some little gifts to make their day a little brighter and now I feel nudged to celebrate and shower one person for 12 Days straight.

As I’ve thought about who to give out candy canes or who to shower with gifts and other random acts of kindness, I’ve thought about how overwhelming it is to receive love.  And the weird emotions even of extending love.  I couldn't decide whether to gift just one person with 12 gifts or pick 12 people to gift--when thinking of one person and gifting them with 12 gifts...my first thought honestly was (now don't judge), "They are going to think I am NUTS!" 

Aren’t we prone to question and doubt the motives behind love?   Isn't is a little scary extending love--with questions looming in our minds like, "Will they receive this?"  Discouraging thoughts enter my mind all of the time before I feel compelled to love--"They will think I'm stupid," "They are going to think I want something," "They will think I am nuts!" 

Oh, this makes me sad and I realize I want to make a difference—gift by gift—little act by little act and fight through the discouraging thoughts that come with it. 

I realize though, that upon receiving Love myself, the first acts of love that I follow through with must be within my home. 

Thus, the decision to shower my hubby of 15 years with 12 gifts!  12 Gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas! (Maybe he is the safest too--he won't think I'm NUTS! :) 

Beginning Christmas day and 11 days after that I will plan to give him little gifts.

Are you in this with me?   Is there someone that you can shower with 12 little gifts?  

Let’s allow the Love to extend into the New Year!  

Comment below and let me know that you are in—share any of your great ideas and encourage us!  Maybe we can remind each other that we are not NUTS!  And maybe...just maybe our acts of love will ellicit such expressions as this one...out of the mouth and on the face of my babe!

Everyone who shares will be entered into the drawing, which began December 1^st.  Name drawn will win their own special gift...”A Starbucks Gift Card.” 

Drawing held January 1, 2012!   

Can’t wait to hear from you!