wHAT MAKES IT Christmas?

1. overcoming awkwardness of giving and receiving gifts.
2. doing an internal check list of inventory- what do I have? What do I have not?
3. getting into the joy and excitement of the holiday by feeling all jittery inside alternating with deep peacefulness inside and out.
4. checking my list twice, thrice, finding my list. editing my list. crossing things off my list.
5. taking multiple photos of my kitchen table during the entire month of December; the ornaments, the candy, the lists.
6. getting some exercise to make up for sugar intake. – swimming and fiddling and jiggling my 2.5 lb weight at the computer.
7. having an amazing weds. before christmas at the port tavern with my favorite traditional irish session
8. counting my blessings more than once per day
9. missing my birth family
10. appreciating my friends and family near and far.
11. sketching daily in order to take in all the good and bad holiday vibe. dissect it, erase some of it. make them into paintings.
12. deep breathing. eating some sugar. saying thank you inside.