The countdown has begun!!! IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE and the contest that we had announced on the Book Coaching page (link below) has 3 souls who have contributed their thoughts and feelings on ‘What Christmas means to me’ – those entries are part of my blog today. The link below to invite more to join our club: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_139232096131530
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Number 3
Christmassy Memories by Luvena Rangel:
My earliest Christmas memories go back to my childhood in Kuwait. Wrapped up in our coats and mufflers, gloved hands tucked into our pockets the entire family all huddled together and keeping warm during the midnight mass – usually late to get seats inside, everyone would be gathered outside in the church compound listening to the sermon off the crackling speakers. The end of the service, would be the start of wishing and kissing each other in an effort to rub our frosty noses towards some warmth!
Reach home to enter a dimly lit hall all decked up with a glowing, sparkling and cozily decorated family Christmas tree and the rush to find our names on the piles of presents under it! Early Christmas morning was a welcome treat to mama’s home-cooked feast – the table used to be laden with sweets, treats and a scrumptious lunch.
And yet Christmas was not yet done!
For with all this giving and receiving and merry-making was the mark of the end of yet another year – a year full of ups and downs, good times and bad – a mark that we have hope for a New Year and a new dawn...
Number 2
At Other’s Expense by Mira Pawar:
Christmas means a lot to me! I was born on the 24th of December and I am glad to celebrate it amongst the festivities of the season, I have a greater time than most people have on their birthdays. I have an advantage to decide whether I want to celebrate my birthday or let someone else do it. If I am feeling rich and have money to spare, I splurge and turn my birthday into a big event. But if I am broke and have no money, I tell my friends and acquaintances that I have to go to the midnight mass with a member of the family or friend. I don’t have to rack my brain very hard to find an excuse to skip celebrating when it is not feasible.
Having said that, there is no way my birthday is ignored. Close family/friends celebrate my birthday on the 25th along with Christmas lunch or dinner. The Christmas cake has to simply look a little different, my name added to it and I get my gifts as well. All at someone else’s cost! Unfortunately, this has happened only a few times in my life. Nevertheless, it was worth the change.
Number 1
Christ Consciousness by Latika Tripathi:
It's Christmas soon and more than any other festival or religious event, like a Hindu wife fasting for her husband, Diwali, Dusshera or Eid - UNLIKE any other day of the year - this day has always meant to me the day of giving.
Even when I was very young and not so spiritually aware, I believed in this ONE day like no other.
For God gave us his Son. And for 33 years that Son gave us everything he could, including his life. There was no other in my mind like Him. Jesus.
I am not a practicing Christian but came close to that when I faced as a teenager my mom converting to Christianity because she found no comfort in her own faith.
She backed out at that time because my dad threatened to divorce her if she did so. I guess she did it for the sake of her 2 daughter’s marriage. Hahaha...both the daughters continue to be single and more into Christ Consciousness than anything else.
I cry in gratitude as I soak in the hymns. More than anything else AMAZING GRACE makes the tears flow along the cheeks, the throat till it reaches the heart. ________________________________________
Everyone is a winner when we share love unconditionally…Merry Christmas to one and all… :-)
P.S. Happy Birthday to someone who today is no longer in my life and Creator tells me he is fine and guided by his angels, and just as he was my child in another life...WE will always be HIS children, as much as Jesus. That is how unconditional HE is and we all are capable of being unconditional too if we only touch and acknowledge our true identity.
If we can live with unconditional love all the time, it will be Christmas EVEryday!!! And the Spirit will move freely again.
Merry Christmas,
Latika.
*Note to readers: This is the writer's personal thoughts and she has lots of such thoughts so please enjoy the sentiment for what it is...nothing religious and certainly not preaching, sharing and caring has been my theme and contiues to be....pretty unconditionally now...I love you all...
