Cel-e-brate - (verb)
1 - show happiness that something good or special has happened by doing such things as eating and drinking together, or playing music.
2 - to mark a special occasion or day by ceremonies or festivities.
3 - to perform a religious ceremony according to the prescribed forms.
It seems to me that the month of November is marked as a time to be thankful; while the month of December is a time to celebrate. As I pondered this idea in my mind I realized that I couldn't give a great definition for the word celebrate, so I checked on its meaning. As you can see from the definition for celebrate listed above, it is a verb - a way to show happiness when something good or special has happened. We are all aware of the wondrous events we celebrate during the holidays. But what about the things that are more common...the ones that we take for granted? And, are there other ways of celebrating that don't include food and drink?!
My mind took an imaginary bunny trail (as it so often does) as I mused about the things worthy of celebrating. As you can imagine, the list is endless. Here are a few everyday gifts that are near and dear to me that I'm hoping to celebrate this holiday season:
Family - In the midst of all the fun festivities I'm hoping to truly savor the time with my loved ones...and laugh a lot!
Friends - There are friends that have moved, or I've just lost track of, that I'm planning to reach out to at the holidays. And of course, have fun with our friends who live nearby!
Nature - I'm hoping to spend some quality time in the out of doors enjoying the beauty of nature. (Even if it does rain here in the Pacific Northwest!)
The Arts - Attending a Christmas concert, and then an art show (featuring the oil paintings of one of my girlfriends) will definitely be a way to celebrate the arts. One of our family holiday traditions is to visit The Grotto in Portland, Oregon for its Festival of Lights. The lights, music, food, farm animals, and puppet shows make it a yuletide favorite in our neck of the woods. Then, of course, I couldn't celebrate literature without reading another great book this season. (And continuing to work on my WIP!)
Faith - Last, but most importantly, is the time we spend remembering the reason for the season. Reaching out to folks in need is a tangible way for us to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
There are a multitude of gifts to celebrate this holiday season!
