Spirit of Giving: Letting our hearts burst with gratitude

What is it that gives us that impulse to hang the ribbons, to put a wreath on the door and infuse our homes with a sweet scent of pine? It’s all ritual. Even down to the Baileys and the corny Christmas hits we sing along to, we’re ritualistically responding to our keen desire to invoke Christmas Spirit. I believe that the reason we’re so moved to celebrate Christmas isn’t because of all the consumerist hype but rather it’s because of the gratitude that sometimes gets mistranslated into feeding that hype. Our hearts are bursting with all the gratitude that we never get to fully express through the rest of the year.

Not just for Christmas

We know that gratitude shouldn’t be reserved for Christmas only, and we do feel gratitude in our everyday lives … but we get so ‘busy’ with work, with life and worries that we don’t get time to do anything with it. That doesn’t mean it goes away though. Stored away, under our skin, is a whole hoard of something powerful and alive! You see gratitude is an element of love that longs to light up like a Christmas tree or a guiding star! So when that wonderful thing called Christmas Spirit comes along, which is about giving and expressing gratitude … ‘wow!’ suddenly there’s no holding back and we all go barmy with the same inclination to give!

Christmas Spirit and Christmas Intention

Sometimes our response to the power of Christmas Spirit is subconscious and it can get caught up in that materialistic hype I mentioned earlier, but when we stop, when we slow down and really think about our loved ones and about those less fortunate, about nature and the blessing of life itself, that’s when our gratitude can light up the darkest night. When we really pay attention to all those things we like to do at Christmas and we do them with love and conscientiousness, then the power of intention meets Christmas Spirit and when we give, we’re giving with everything we are.

Think you don’t have much to spend this Christmas?

I’ve said that myself several times already but it’s really down to perception isn’t it? There are so many ways you can give without without breaking the bank (or profiting unethical chain-stores). Cygnus Books have some great craft books, if you’re thinking of making your own gifts, and of course there’s the gifts that can’t be wrapped – the kind gestures, prayers, well wishes, the gift of giving company … the ultimate gift of love. But more about that next week when I’ll be sharing ideas of how to give without spending. In the meantime, I wish you a very happy start to the festive season, may your heart be light.

One love,

Louisa