December 2020 : Let’s Spread some Holiday Cheer!

Because hey, Lord knows we need it!

Here we are at the beginning of December 2020, and yet yesterday felt like it was still March 2020 ... when the world first shut down.

I admit, that I fluctuate on the daily between being on a high and wanting to hide under the covers and never see the light of day. I’m really not sure when the world is going to feel normal again. And of course by that I mean “the new normal”. But what I do know, is that sometimes a bit of retail therapy – whether it’s for yourself, or for someone you love - goes a very long way.

And that’s why I’m glad it’s December. Sure, we may not be spending the holidays traditionally like the years past but it’s still the holidays, which means thanks to FedEx, Canada Post, Purolator, and the rest of them ... GIFT GIVING IS STILL ON!

This year, I plan to give the gift of self-care to family and friends. I’m thinking gift certificates for manicures or massages; luxurious lotions and balms for stocking stuffers; and perhaps, gift baskets filled with one’s favourite comfort foods. Self-care is so important right now, more than ever, because if we fail to take care of ourselves at this very moment, we may not survive this current second lockdown.

We’ve spent the past eight months so focused on the negatives of this pandemic, that we’ve failed to see the blessing that came with it. And that is, that we’ve had eight months to slow down, to reflect, and to just simply be : Be at home. Be chill. Be still.

Instead, we worried about whether or not kids would go to school in September. We worried about how would we keep busy during the summer and if we could travel. We worried about when we would be able to go shopping or eat in restaurants again. While some worries were understandable - like finances and the safety of loved ones - some just consumed time and energy ... unnecessarily.

So anyway, before you start the gift-giving process do yourself a favour and practise self-care in whatever form that is for you. Be sure not to feel guilty about it and instead savour it. Take care of yourself FIRST and then gift it forward.

Here’s to the holiday season!