"Growing up, I remember that magical feel to the holidays when my brothers and I would wait impatiently for Father Christmas to bring us the same doll or truck every year and it was just as exciting as the first time."
Dawn Prince
Taking a page out of my journey and sharing my thoughts on women, love,
life and the whole darn thing. I welcome your thoughts. Email me,
Dawn at dprince at
surewoman.com
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A Conspiracy of Love
T
he year is drawing to a close and people are gearing up for holiday celebrations such as Hanukah, Kwanza, Chinese New Year (January), and, of course, Christmas. (Muslims have a month-long "Ramadan" celebration from September thru October). I love this time of the year because there is simultaneous celebrating around the world with the many traditions.
I enjoy hearing about traditions other than my own, and I've shared in many different holiday celebrations with friends from all parts of the world - Ethiopia, Philippines, West Indies, Pakistan, Italy, Israel and England - to name a few. For the celebration, we would all bring our traditional dishes and customs. It was a multicultural celebration that would rival a United Nations get together and a United Colors of Benetton commercial as we passed around flavorful dishes and experienced each other's customs. It was a celebration of kindred spirits who found refuge, love, comfort, delight and a common purpose in each other's company. Despite our differences and the problems of the world, for that moment, our hearts were in synch. Things felt magical and hopeful as we raised our glasses and toasted "goodwill to men" in our different tongues.
Growing up, I remember that magical feel to the holidays when my brothers and I would wait impatiently for Father Christmas to bring us the same doll or truck every year and it was just as exciting as the first time. I also remember the fancy biscuits and the red delicious apples that came from abroad. Every year I anxiously waited for the picture post cards to arrive from America or Canada. They always depicted snowy Christmas scenes, and so, in my mind it was always a white Christmas despite the scorching South American temperatures. The holiday season meant, at night, going downtown to the large British department stores with their wonderfully, shiny - and always elusive - toys in the magnificently dressed windows that were glimpses of Christmas abroad. We would stand there with eyes as big as saucers, wishing for things we never did get, but the magic was in imagining their arrival. Those days my dreams were always bigger than my own backyard.
These days, the holidays are still magical, but they are less about dreaming about the things that I do not have and more about family warmth, traditions, counting my blessings and giving thanks for all that is wonderful in my life. It's about watching It's a Wonderful Life for the millionth time and feeling along with George Bailey. It's homemade bread and black cake (English version of the Christmas cake) and groaning because you hear the same corny Christmas carol for the umpteenth time, and yet you find yourself knowing all the words as you sing along to it. It's about starting new traditions with my husband of almost two years and holding onto some of the ones I was brought up with - such as my mother's black cake and always ringing in the New Year at home!
For me, this time of year is a period of reflection and looking forward. I find the old saying about knowing where you've been to see where you are going to be so true. And so this holiday season when you gather with your family and friends, I hope that you reflect upon what has taken place with you personally and on a larger scope - the world. I hope that your wishes for the New Year are inclusive of a kinder world for our children and that you think of someone across the world, or in your own backyard that may not be as blessed you are. Simply, I hope that you remember the true meaning of this time of year whatever your traditions or beliefs. Happy Holidays!
- Dawn
~ Celebrate Yourself!
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