The excitement in the air is palpable for the children; the gifts, the tree, the relatives, the food, oh my! There is a definitive mood in the air, and it is one (hopefully) of good will and cheer. An idea that the world is a good place.
This is a mood that children in our society need more than ever: that the world is a good place, the people in the world are good, and that my own little personal world is stable and good.
Maybe this holiday you are facing times that are not “so good.” Divorce, financial crisis, housing crisis, illness, death in the family all conspire to make the Christmas mood disappear.
Do not let it. Part of being human and being an adult means we have the ability to strive, to rise up, to not let our circumstances define us but to allow us to define our circumstances.
As we come also to a close of another year, I can only leave you with this parting thought: do not be the reaction to circumstances this coming year; be the visionary and shape your world. What you cannot shape, call on your faith, remain strong, do the right things even when no one else is, and be someone who is proactive. Be the goodness, and carry that Christmas mood in your heart for your children.
Many blessings, and Merry Christmas my friends,
Carrie
The Parenting Passageway 
Beautifully said Carrie! I hope to respond to your call to action – more this coming year than ever. Merry Christmas to you and your family! May the spirit of Christ fill your home with love and peace!
After the festive season we’ve had I needed to read your post this evening. Thank you.
Merry Christmas Dear Carrie to you and yours, many blessings!
Merry Christmas to you, Carrie! Some very old couple in church yesterday told us that you need children to keep the Christmas spirit alive. I think that’s so true! All their children are gone and their Christmas Eve was a very quiet one they told us.
Merry Christmas Lisa and Eva, two of my favorite bloggers! Love and blessings to you both!
Carrie
After the excitement and whirl of Christmas, my children’s need for quiet time at home has become very apparent to me. Do you have any suggestions for celebrating the new year at home, just the three of us? I want to mark the changing of the year, but not through parties. I’m looking for ideas for a quiet celebration.
Juliet,
My favorite suggestion for New Year’s is in the book “All Year Round” – it is essentially taking a large silver tub and lining it with tin foil, sinking greenery into it, and making walnut halve beeswax boats to float in it and go to all the little greenery islands. THe islands could have sweet names, like the Isle of Good Fortune or the Isle of Delicious Dreams. The book explains it better perhaps than I am! I also love hiking on New Year’s Day.
Many blessings,
Carrie