It's been over 4 years since I last allowed myself to take part in the traditional holiday frenzy. Each year I would jump on the band wagon of racing around the city to various shopping malls and spending so much money on gifts. I bought all the seasonal store-bought decorations and wrapping paper and shipped boxes all over the world to family. I over ate, over drank and over spent feeling utterly spent ...and bloated come the New Year. Even as a green lifestyle educator I somehow justify all the my consumerist without a care in the world mentality. My new year's resolution was always to "deal with " the holidays differently the following year.

And then one day I did. I decided that the Christmas holidays would have a different meaning to me. I did not want my children learning from me how disposable and frenetic the holiday season was, especially since the rest of our lives were not. I decided to slow down,  buy less, get more creative and reflect on what the spirit of the holidays meant to me. It meant harkening back to my childhood. Walks in nature, baking cookies with friends, watching A Christmas Carol, playing board games, giving to charity and making lovely little handmade gifts. I wanted the magic to return, not just for my children but for myself too.

So this year, in the spirit of being green, yes, but also in the spirit of love, peace and joy find ways that you can slow down (for real), spend time with loved ones and cook or craft together or simply walk out out in the snow alone or with a friend. What is something you do for yourself around the Holidays? Have you made any changes around the Holidays for the better?

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