Today is Christmas, but only the first day of Christmas (what Norwegians would call 1. juledag, or "First Christmas Day"). This is the start of the twelve-day festal tide adopted by the Christian Church: In 567 C.E. church leaders proclaimed the days from December 25 to Epiphany as a sacred, festive season.Now my preparations are finished, and I can relax with my family, do a puzzle, eat, drink, and generally wallow in joyful abandon.
In some old traditions, this whole season was seen as a sort of Sabbath: Prepare ahead of time and then spend the Twelve Days doing as little work as possible. It's a good time to rest, reflect, and find peace within.
Agenda:
1. Christmas retreat
In some old traditions, this whole season was seen as a sort of Sabbath: Prepare ahead of time and then spend the Twelve Days doing as little work as possible. It's a good time to rest, reflect, and find peace within.
Agenda:
1. Christmas retreat
2. Love reading
3. Love goals for 2022
4. Open Gifts
1. Christmas retreat:
I am again planning on making the 12 Days of Christmas into a mini-retreat for myself - but a little more social than last year. I'm going to do some reading and writing every day, focusing on my priorities and what I'm called to do (or not do) next in my life. My plan for the 12 Days:
- Start each morning with meditation, prayer, and reading
- Think about, and set goals for 2022.
- Contemplate, honor, and practice a different one of my life priorities on each of the 12 days.
Today I am honoring Love and my receptive nature, all those yin qualities of being open, soft, gentle, unconditionally loving, nurturing, and trusting.
What is the condition of my marriage, family, and friend relationships? What do they need of me this next year?
With whom am I struggling or feeling distant, and how can I open to healing our relationship? When problems and conflicts arise, do I try to resolve them in a timely fashion?
Do I keep my word, follow through with my responsibilities, speak truth, listen well, and show loyalty? What can I improve? How and when can I be kinder?
Where in my life do I need to be more generous - giving freely of my time, energy, love, possessions, encouragement, laughter, hospitality, service, and forgiveness?
How can I better love and care for myself? Can I manage my personality quirks with love and respect?
How can I better show my love for the earth, for creation, and for God?
Today I'm reading from this little book by Thich Nhat Hanh, and I'm reminded that love is reverential and expansive. It's a spiritual thing - it requires mindful attention. Love has four elements: Loving kindness, equanimity, compassion, and joy.
Nourished by Joy
Learn to nourish yourself and the other person with joy. Are you able to make the other person smile? Are you able to increase her confidence and enthusiasm? ... Sometimes a kind word is enough to help someone blossom like a flower. ~Thich Nhat Hanh
3. Love Goals for 2022:
I'm just beginning the work of setting goals and resolutions for the New Year. My theme for today is Love; like the earth accepting the seed, and willing to nurture it. Love requires that I be open and available, and also requires that I do the work to care for what I receive.
My ideas so far for love goals next year:
- Continue to care for and nurture my grandson and his self-discovery.
- Nurture my deepest friendships with monthly gatherings (virtual or in person).
- Ritualize a daily love awareness habit.
- Study my personality style, and learn how to manage my quirks without judgement.
- Set individual "virtuous love goals" for each person, so that I grow in a useful way.
4. Open gifts:
We are going to my daughter's home this morning to open our presents, sit by the fire, eat bagels and prune bread, fruit, and egg nog. We celebrate the birth of Jesus by giving gifts to those we love.
We are going to my daughter's home this morning to open our presents, sit by the fire, eat bagels and prune bread, fruit, and egg nog. We celebrate the birth of Jesus by giving gifts to those we love.
5. Put Baby Jesus in the manger:
Of course, Baby Jesus must arrive in His crib this morning!
I believe that we all have that of God within, and I generally picture it as Light, but the Christ Child is another wonderful image. At Advent, I am a baby again, waiting for birth into wisdom and grace.
6. Have a feast:
Of course, Baby Jesus must arrive in His crib this morning! I believe that we all have that of God within, and I generally picture it as Light, but the Christ Child is another wonderful image. At Advent, I am a baby again, waiting for birth into wisdom and grace.This is a day of unrestricted feasting. The table is filled with goodies- breads, cheese, tangerines, nuts, chocolates, and cookies. We will snack all day long, and then we will have a big mid-day meal!
7. Christmas pudding:
After our feast we will reheat the Christmas pudding I made a month ago, by steaming it again for about an hour, then slide it out of the pudding basin onto a plate.
Then we will put some brandy into a metal ladle (about 1/4-cup), heat it over a candle flame until it steams a bit, set it on fire with a match, and pour the flaming brandy over the warm pudding.
This is really worth the effort! We turn the lights out and the blue flame dances all over the pudding for a minute or more.
7. Christmas pudding:
After our feast we will reheat the Christmas pudding I made a month ago, by steaming it again for about an hour, then slide it out of the pudding basin onto a plate.
Then we will put some brandy into a metal ladle (about 1/4-cup), heat it over a candle flame until it steams a bit, set it on fire with a match, and pour the flaming brandy over the warm pudding. 
This is really worth the effort! We turn the lights out and the blue flame dances all over the pudding for a minute or more.
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