Spending a Little Time

We all know how to spend money. Some of us more than others, lol. Sometimes it's better to spend time, than money, but most times it's harder to do. I know I've had similar items on my list so far, but this sort of thing is really important and so easy to let go of for most of us. So...

Day 63 - Spend some time with a loved one. No time? Find some, I'm sure there's a little around you somewhere. Even if all you do is sit together and watch TV, or go for a quick walk around the block, or go to a juice bar and stock up on healthy stuff (not something I would do of course. I consider candy corn a vegetable). The amount of time isn't necessarily important, but the quality is. I'm not saying you have to do something spectacular, but merely that you spend time letting that person know that they are important to you. It will lift their spirits and yours too.

Day 62 - Do something on your "to do" list. We all have that list of things, whether mentally or actually down on paper, that we keep saying we're going to do when we get around to it. So here you go:

 

 

 

It's even a Christmassy one. So think of one of those things you've been putting off, and take a little time to just do it. You'll feel better knowing it's taken care of.  Don't let it be that thing that pops up in the middle of the holidays that you "should've done" before then.  Before it gets crazy(er) - do it. Oh, and if it's on your list to order a Living Christmas Tree, you might want to do that soon too.  Just a thought.

 

 

Merry Merry,

 

Care'n Presents



photo: www.geocaching.com

Still looking...

Okay, remember yesterday I said I was going to look for a "cause", well I'm still looking, but I did find something really cool so that's what I'm putting on my list today.

Day 70 - Operation Christmas Cards. You may have seen the post I asked Scotty Claus if I could put on our Facebook page, but in case you didn't, let me tell you about it.
Since many of our troops get limited mail, and Christmas is a tough time to be away from home as it is, this is a program to send heartfelt cards to those who are serving our country.  Home-made cards are encouraged over store bought, but either is okay. The whole program is spelled out on their site, so check it out:

http://www.operationchristmascard.org/Participation_Info.html

















I can't wait to get my crayons out, and my scissors and glue...I'm thinking I can even recycle parts of old cards and sparkle them up with glitter or something.  Then I'll write a nice letter saying Merry Christmas and thanking them for the job they do. I'm so excited about this, my pointy ears are twitching!!  Hope you send a few too! The address is on the site. Have fun and make a soldier's holidays a little more cheerful.

Merry Merry!

Care'n Presents

A Bedtime Story

Day 72 - Start your holiday reading. If you are anything like me, you have about as much free time as a stick bug has muscles. This time of year however, I always seem to be a little more optimistic than usual (or maybe just crazier), and I start thinking that maybe I can read a whole book. It just so happens that I have a big collection of Christmas stories too. Go figure, right? No, they are not all children's books. Okay, you're right, most of them are, but I digress.
 
So...I'm not saying it has to be a Christmas book, or story. Any old reading material will do. The point is to make sure to make time for yourself. Shut out the world for a little while, and go to a new one through words, and your imagination. You remember having an imagination, don't you? Oh, and if you're sitting there thinking: "Books? Who reads books anymore? I guess I can get something on my tablet..." then don't even talk to me, you're making me feel OLD.
 

 

 

 

Merry Merry!!

 
 Care'n Presents
 
 
Photo: www.greatnewbooks.org (Check out the site: recommendations on "great books"!)

Q is for...

Okay, I know it's been awhile, but c'mon, Q? Not the easiest letter to do...but actually I did think of something:

Quiet.

When I was just a wee elfling, my mother used to tell me on Christmas Eve, that if I was very still and very quiet, I might be able to hear Santa's sleigh bells. So I would lie there in my bed, not moving a muscle, and as quiet as a mouse, listening. After what seemed like hours, I would think, did I just hear something? I was certain I heard the feint tinkling of bells. I'm not sure if I was actually slipping into dream-land by then, but before I knew it I was fast asleep. When I got older, my suspicion was, that it was all a trick my parents played to get me to go to sleep. Did I hear the bells? Still not sure, but it was fun trying.

Not to sound like a broken record, but I just wanted to say again, that it the midst of the craziness of the Christmas season, a little quiet time might be nice.  Stick a peppermint stick into your cafe mocha, open up a  book and relax for a while. Inhale the scent of your Living Christmas tree. I like to look at those magazines with pictures of beautiful holiday place settings, that I know I could probably never pull off, and dream of some elegant cocktail party I'll have some day.  Whatever floats your boat. Quiet is a good thing...well except when you have kids and it gets "too quiet", in which case it could be dangerous, hehe.
Enjoy the quiet of the season when you can.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Merry,
Care'n Presents


photo: amazon.com

P is for...

"Pine" comes to mind of course, but I thought that there was something of even more importance than your next Christmas tree. (Imagine that!)

Peace on Earth.

Frankly, I'd settle for peace at home, or even peace in my heart. We can all use a little peace, right? I know we technically haven't gotten even close to the holiday season, but it's never too early to start planning a little peace for yourself. Make a promise now, to take a break here and there. In between the shopping and the party planning and the gift wrapping, take a deep breath. Call a friend and go out for coffee. There's probably a Starbucks in the mall if you don't want to take too much time out.  It all gets too crazy and there is too much to do. It's easy to get stressed and agitated and before you turn green and furry, lashing out at all the little whos around you...find a little "piece" of quiet time.  Read a Christmas story to a child. Call your mom or dad. Spread a little peace instead of spreading more stress around, like fertilizer.
When you are planning all your events and activities, leave a few calender squares empty, but highlight them so you don't fill them with other stuff. These will be your "peace" days.
PLAN ON NOT PLANNING ANYTHING.  Really. Hundreds of years of being an elf means I have experience on this subject. How do you think we all do it year after year?

Start now. Take a deep breath...


Merry Christmas,

Care'n Presents


photo: William Salas