Tonight is Christmas Eve. Advent is nearly over, and Christmas is upon us. Today I will tie together some loose ends (finish one gift, final wrapping, bake sweet bread), and settle into the grace and mystery of Christmas.1. Read a novena:I've been reading this Creation Novena from the Indian Catholic Matters site, and today is the last:Day 9: A Prayer of Thanks for the Creator
Creator God, we give thanks for You—for your coming among us, and among all that you have created.Thank You for the magnanimous gift of creation itself, which heralded the birth of Your Son, and to which You joined in the water, minerals, and living flesh of Jesus Christ. Thank You for every aspect of creation, as every bit of its goodness and order reveals You.
Thank You for the love that You manifest in creation. Pope Francis has said that “creation is of the order of love.” We thank You for the gift of Your love beyond measure, and we thank You for bestowing on us the gift to love in return.
Thank You for the sustenance, strength, and peace that Your creation gives us. Thank You for our place within the fabric You have woven. Thank You for the unique gifts bestowed on each of us, and especially for the gifts of resilience and beauty in our poorest sisters and brothers.
We ask that You increase our capacity to love, that You give us the resolve to love in deeds and not simply in words.
We pray this through the newborn Christ, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Day 9: A Prayer of Thanks for the Creator
Thank You for the magnanimous gift of creation itself, which heralded the birth of Your Son, and to which You joined in the water, minerals, and living flesh of Jesus Christ. Thank You for every aspect of creation, as every bit of its goodness and order reveals You.
Thank You for the love that You manifest in creation. Pope Francis has said that “creation is of the order of love.” We thank You for the gift of Your love beyond measure, and we thank You for bestowing on us the gift to love in return.
Thank You for the sustenance, strength, and peace that Your creation gives us. Thank You for our place within the fabric You have woven. Thank You for the unique gifts bestowed on each of us, and especially for the gifts of resilience and beauty in our poorest sisters and brothers.
We ask that You increase our capacity to love, that You give us the resolve to love in deeds and not simply in words.
2. Christmas Retreat Brainstorm for Renewal:I try to renew all four dimensions of my life (body, mind, heart, and spirit), as Stephen Covey taught: I spend about an hour each day on a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual regeneration activities, plus work to improve my social skills and relationships.
During this final stretch of Advent I review one dimension at a time, and today I will take a deep look at my physical nurturance practices.
Physical self-care involves eating well, exercising, sleeping enough, playing, and also, because it's part of physical survival, budgeting, saving, and spending within my means. Just as I need my home to be in good repair to weather a storm, I need to be strong myself. I depend on my body strength and energy to be effective and succeed at my priorities. When I am physically and mentally strong, I thrive no matter what life throws at me, and can move forward without the baggage of fears and grudges.
During this final stretch of Advent I review one dimension at a time, and today I will take a deep look at my physical nurturance practices.
Physical self-care involves eating well, exercising, sleeping enough, playing, and also, because it's part of physical survival, budgeting, saving, and spending within my means. Just as I need my home to be in good repair to weather a storm, I need to be strong myself. I depend on my body strength and energy to be effective and succeed at my priorities. When I am physically and mentally strong, I thrive no matter what life throws at me, and can move forward without the baggage of fears and grudges.
Am I getting enough sleep, exercise, and am I eating the right foods? Do I need to schedule any health check-ups
Am I showing care and kindness to my body with the little daily habits of respect, like brushing my hair and flossing?
What self-care habits do I most need to add now in my life, to give me greater energy and increase my health and well-being? What is holding me back from practicing these?
Am I getting enough time to relax and play, and how am I spending that time?
Am I living within my budget?
3. Health Reading:
Many years ago I read and followed the book, "Simple Steps: 10 Weeks to Getting Control of Your Life". It offers 4 new habits each week of health and for home.
What I like about this book is that it lists the why's for each new habit compellingly, then lists the how's, with a variety of practical tips, and a key for attaching this habit into your life-style. 4 new habits each week is too ambitious for me right now, but I could manage one.
4. Health plans:At the end of each year I take a deep look at my self-renewal practices - how I nurture the physical, mental, and spiritual parts of myself - and make some plans for the new year.
Am I getting enough sleep, exercise, and am I eating the right foods? Do I need to schedule any health check-ups
Am I showing care and kindness to my body with the little daily habits of respect, like brushing my hair and flossing?
What self-care habits do I most need to add now in my life, to give me greater energy and increase my health and well-being? What is holding me back from practicing these?
Am I getting enough time to relax and play, and how am I spending that time?
As usual at the New Year, I'm ready to upgrade my health habits, strengthen my body, and improve my diet. I know I'd better start with small steps that I can easily maintain.
My ideas so far for self-care renewal in 2025 are:- Write about and adopt one simple new habit each week, the why's and how's.
- Start with drinking water!
- Try a new habit app to stay on track.
- Walk more than I have been - rain or shine - to get in touch with my climate and to move my muscles.
- Use a Pomodoro timer to remind myself to take movement breaks every hour, all day long.
- Continue to try out new veggie recipes, and cook healthier meals.
5. Make Danish Prune Bread:
Christmas sweet bread is a tradition in most every country. Since I grew up in a Scandinavian-American town, I’m partial to this bread from Denmark. You can easily make the dough and the filling in advance and shape it to bake fresh on Christmas morning.
Ingredients:
- 3/4-c. chilled unsalted butter
- 1-3/4 c. flour
- 1 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1/4 c. warm water (105-115ºF)
- 1/4 c. heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- 1/8 c. sugar
- 1/2-c. pitted prunes, packed
- 1/2-c. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4-tsp. vanilla
- 1/4-tsp. cinnamon
Yield: 1 loaf-
- Write about and adopt one simple new habit each week, the why's and how's.
- Start with drinking water!
- Try a new habit app to stay on track.
- Walk more than I have been - rain or shine - to get in touch with my climate and to move my muscles.
- Use a Pomodoro timer to remind myself to take movement breaks every hour, all day long.
- Continue to try out new veggie recipes, and cook healthier meals.
Christmas sweet bread is a tradition in most every country. Since I grew up in a Scandinavian-American town, I’m partial to this bread from Denmark. You can easily make the dough and the filling in advance and shape it to bake fresh on Christmas morning.- 3/4-c. chilled unsalted butter
- 1-3/4 c. flour
- 1 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1/4 c. warm water (105-115ºF)
- 1/4 c. heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- 1/8 c. sugar
- 1/2-c. pitted prunes, packed
- 1/2-c. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4-tsp. vanilla
- 1/4-tsp. cinnamon
1- Cut cold butter into chunks; combine with flour, and cut with a pastry blender until the butter is the size of kidney beans.
2- In another large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the cream, cardamom, salt, eggs, and 1/8 c. sugar. Mix very lightly with a fork.
3- Turn flour and butter mixture into the yeast mixture and mix lightly with a fork or spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 4 days).
4- Filling: Put prunes, 1/2 c. sugar, and 1/8 c. of water into a saucepan. Heat and simmer until prunes are soft and plumped, and have absorbed most of the liquid. 
5- Puree in a blender, transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
6- You can finish this tonight, or on Christmas morning: Prepare a baking sheet with lightly buttered and floured parchment paper. Take dough out of the refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12 x 6-inch rectangle. Place on the baking sheet.
7- Spread the prune filling down the length of the center of the dough. Cut strips along both sides with kitchen scissors. Fold strips over the filling in a crisscross manner.
8- Let rise 1 hour or more, just until the pastry appears puffy (it will not double.)
9- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.
1- Cut cold butter into chunks; combine with flour, and cut with a pastry blender until the butter is the size of kidney beans.
3- Turn flour and butter mixture into the yeast mixture and mix lightly with a fork or spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 4 days).4- Filling: Put prunes, 1/2 c. sugar, and 1/8 c. of water into a saucepan. Heat and simmer until prunes are soft and plumped, and have absorbed most of the liquid. 5- Puree in a blender, transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.6- You can finish this tonight, or on Christmas morning: Prepare a baking sheet with lightly buttered and floured parchment paper. Take dough out of the refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12 x 6-inch rectangle. Place on the baking sheet.7- Spread the prune filling down the length of the center of the dough. Cut strips along both sides with kitchen scissors. Fold strips over the filling in a crisscross manner.8- Let rise 1 hour or more, just until the pastry appears puffy (it will not double.)
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