SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

Four weeks to Christmas and the local parades are in full swing. Attending the one in Richmond Hill last Sunday saw the big guy arriving to cheers and waves of the crowd.

Mrs. Claus decided to come with him too. He was headed to the local Mall where he will receive the children and any adults that will let him know what they want for Christmas. Yes, 4 weeks to the big day! How are your Christmas plans going? Are you having your own parade in your community? Do you have a local toy drive?

CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS

Christmas can be a time to remember, to reflect on the past year. Our Christmas cards or emails with a newsletter of the year's events brings everyone up to date on our lives. Little traditions from our childhood can come forward into the present.
I bought some fruitcake- a little one as it reminded me of the ones my Mom would make when I was a child. Some panetone for Adolph's Italian tradition! Delicious apples and large oranges- they were regulars in our Christmas stockings. My Mom grew up in the Canadian Depression so were reminders an apple and orange were a special treat in the 1930's. Eggnog is in the fridge since my Dad always wanted a drink of it at Christmas. Vermouth is in the house as I like to have at least one drink with some lemon and ice to remember my mother-in-law Concetta. We would always have a little "toast" together Christmas Eve. I put a picture from one Christmas past on my fridge. This year it is one of Sonya and Natasha as little girls. As many Canadian traditions are included in my home- singing-christmas carols, christmas trees,  lights, stockings, Santas, reindeer, snowmen, hats, scarves, winter wonderland, church and the turkey dinner with the bread stuffing and all the trimmings! Especially cranberries from our aboriginal people's heritage!
Missing people in our lives can be honoured by all our little gestures that are significant to us but may be lost on others.
Christmas can be whatever you want it to be. Many make the effort to go to church. Or the focus is gathering at family homes!
Do you find yourself remembering? Reflecting? Thinking about others? Are you excited for the day to be here finally?

CELEBRATING A CANADIAN CHRISTMAS-MY FAVOURITE THINGS

Since I was a little girl there are so many things about Christmas that I love. Our Santa Claus lives in the North Pole which is still Canadian jurisdiction. So he is very Canadian. The pictures with Santa have improved over the years. Now the Canadian Postal Service-Canada Post-helps with the mail as the number of children writing to him has grown. Churches throughout the country host Christmas concerts and encourage their congregations to donate to local charities as well as the missions they support throughout the world. Most workplaces must have Holiday parties to respect the diverse population. Although they are really Christmas parties and lunches. Local Toy drives are in full force to make sure every child who wants a toy at Christmas gets one. The fact is they do not have to be Christian- any child regardless of faith, culture and creed can get a toy. Families again that can benefit from a food hamper are able to receive if in need! That is the spirit of Christmas- including others! Christians giving to others!
Reading the story of the Christ child to my grandchildren is a new tradition.
The season makes me stop and think of those near and far- the Christmas newsletter, writing to our Canadian troops, making a list of phone calls to family, sending parcels on time, sending those Christmas cards- time to connect and reconnect with everyone. This year I purged some photo albums and sent pictures to nieces and nephews of relevant pictures of them. Did I really need 40 photo albums?
I love Christmas tree lights. Especially the ones that flash! When I sit by the tree in my Family room, I feel very much at peace. My living room is my Santa room. I have Santas I have collected over the years. Because the grandchildren are little, the little breakable things are still in the cupboard. Since I want them to enjoy the house, the items that are placed throughout the room can be touched, held and good for play.

The true joy comes with the fact that there is another Christmas to enjoy. To have family to love and friends- well what more can be the blessing of the season. What are your favourite things of the Christmas season? Are you missing people? Do you need to reconnect? Take a look around you- are there people you can include in your celebrations? Tell me about your favourite things.

NANA SAYS CHILDREN NEED MAGICAL MOMENTS

Childhood can bring a belief in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. Is it right for little ones to think there is something magical? I think so. It helps to believe in things beyond ourselves. Like any faith group, that prays to a diety-to believe. With the Christmas season upon us, Santa Claus is huge. To see the expectations of children, believing is joyful for this Nana. I loved playing Santa when my children were little. For those less fortunate, we all can help make the magical moments happen by our toy and food contributions to our favourite local charities. Magical! Helping people believe! Unfortunately, older children may want to spoil the magic for the younger children in any family. Teaching them to respect the little ones' beliefs can take creative parenting! The magic of Christmas with the birth of the Christ child! Telling the story over and over again! Having a creche children can touch and play with the figures! Creating magical moments in your home! Inside all of us is the child wanting to recapture those magical moments! By being part of the grandchildren's world, knowing the magical moments can help children lead to a stronger faith in life and people. When there are tough moments, recapturing those memories of childhood can carry a person for a lifetime. Even as an adult, when love happens again and for example, an opportunity to marry later in life becomes a magical moment! What are your memories of childhood beliefs? Who created the magical moments for you? Are you the one that makes those moments happen for your family? My magical moments come with the love of family and the opportunity to be around little people! How about you?

LESS IS MORE

In our modern times when we want to do everything possible to cram as much in a day, the holiday season is always one where most of us go into overdrive. Well, stop! Decide what are the most important aspects of the season for you. Lists, planning, and writing down your thoughts help to visualize how much you are trying to do. It is easier before you start to decide what really needs to be done and eliminate some things. For example, little children find the season magical. One parade, tree decorating, making cookies should be fun activities and not chores. The visit to Santa and picture taking can be an outing and not just a filler while other errands are done. If everyone feels rushed, then the mood changes. By slowing ourselves to enjoy the activities helps to bring joy. Family obligations can be reassessed. Group functions with everyone pitching in can lessen the work on any one individual. Each year brings something new. This year for me, if I can help lessen the load on my daughter and son-in-law with the new baby, then it will happen. Another year they may help me. In my work many families can face a hospitalization during the season. There can be additional stress of how they are going to manage Christmas and hospital visits. By deciding what is important the tasks can be decreased. Less is more!! What do you do to help lessen your load? How do you make the holidays fun and festive?
Do you have suggestions?

THE SANTA CLAUS PARADE

In every corner in this country, cities and towns have their own version of the Santa Claus Parade. Sometimes the word Christmas is used, go figure it's about Christmas. Sometimes to be culturally sensitive it is the Holiday parade. But really for the children it is about Santa. Our parade occurred today in Richmond Hill, there was another one in Vaughan. The Toronto Santa Claus parade is next Sunday. It used to be called the Eaton's Christmas Santa Claus parade for years-it was the one I attended as a little girl in Toronto. Years ago it became too costly so other funding was found and continues to be a Toronto tradition. Back to our little local parade. Politicians ride in open vehicles. Floats are quite hand done, not too sophisticated.Many activities are represented such as local business, charity organizations, schools, Guides and Brownies, Baton Club. The local High School played on a float- a little out of key as High School bands tend to be. The Local Police has a good Bag Pipe Band-kilts and all. The Salvation Army Band is another regular participant. Different groups will give out a flyer and the children receive lots of candy canes. Our local hospital had a float this year and I took lots of pictures for the gang- well it is where I work. There was some rain but not too cold. Do you attend your local parade? Do you even like parades? Have you ever been in a parade? Isn't it about a little girl with innocence waving at her favourite person- Santa Claus?