Good morning December 1st!!! It’s here!!! The very last month of the year!! Only thirty one days left in 2012……What do you want to have happen? What do YOU want YOUR holiday season to be about?

Growing up, every year at Christmas time, my parents would take my sister, my grandma and me downtown Chicago to see the lights. We would eat dinner at Arnie’s (which, sadly, is no longer open for business) and then head over to the Hyatt for dessert. One of the most exciting things about the Hyatt at Christmas time was anticipating the theme of their decorations. They would completely transform the entire lobby into a winter wonderland and every couple of years they would change the theme. One year it was all penguins. Penguins sliding on the ice, penguins decorating Christmas trees, penguins every where. One year it was bears. Teddy bears in red and green sweaters parachuting from the ginormous ceiling! One year they had all the landmarks of Chicago made out of Gingerbread! Oh my gosh….coming to the city for a night from a small town was SO much fun to experience!!!

What will the “theme” of YOUR holiday season be? What do YOU want to focus on to make these last few weeks the absolute best they can be? Food is part of the season, but it need not be the focus!! I’m pretty sure none of us will find lasting contentment or lasting joy from overeating Christmas cookies or the cheese tray at a holiday party!!! So today, give some thought to what feelings help you to truly find satisfaction? What do you want your “theme” for this season to be??

For me, it’s gratitude and peace. I want to focus on all I DO have and not on things I don’t have. I’m refusing to get wrapped up in anything that causes me stress. If I feel like sending Christmas cards, I will, but if I don’t, I won’t. Don’t invite me to any cookie exchanges, because I won’t attend! I can’t stand cookie exchanges….there, I’ve said it!!! I want to spend more time sitting in front of our Christmas tree and enjoying the decorations we spend so much time putting up. I want to take the time to bundle up and walk our neighborhood at night to enjoy other people’s decorations. My theme is peaceful gratitude and I am already starting to experience it :-))

The focus of our attention and energy is ALWAYS our choice. On the surface it can appear that circumstances or people shape our happiness but in reality it’s all a choice. A choice that’s ours to make each and every moment.