Each year the kids select an ornament that they like for the tree. It's fun to look at them over the years. And each year we choose a colour theme for the tree. We chose Red and Gold this year but ran short of a few so added the purple ones from some years ago. And then there are 6 little teddies and no matter what the colour scheme, these teddies must be on the tree.
The night before, the kids leave a glass of milk and cookies for Santa. When they were little they made lists now they just ask for a surprise. (I'm sure Santa breathes a sigh of relief). We open the gifts first thing on Christmas morning and I love watching the kids as they pull each gift out of the sack. Santa never fails to please!
And then there is the Christmas lunch. We usually have some ham and roast lamb or chicken and vegetables. We often invite friends who are alone at Christmas so that they have a place to go to and celebrate.
And then we watch a biblical movie on TV together - there is always a movie on the life of Jesus. A nice reminder of what Christmas is really about.
For me the giving of gifts is more than a Santa thing - it's about showing the love you feel for another at an auspicious time of year.
And then zooming back to the school days, I just loved the Christmas Carols. My favourites are "Silent Night", "Mary's Boy Child", "Oh Holy Night / Night Divine", "Oh Come All Ye Faithful".
Diwali is also another festival that we celebrate with great joy. For us it signifies the end of a year and the beginning of a new one that is filled with hope and peace.
When I was little we were given new clothes on our birthday, to celebrate an occasion (like a wedding) or a festival like Diwali. Our Diwali clothes were traditional Indian clothes and this was the time when we could select some nice piece of jewellery out of my mother's jewellery box to wear on the day.
On Diwali day, one member of our very extended family would host a Diwali gathering - often this was at my place or at my grand aunt's place as my grandmother and her (sisters) were the oldest surviving members of the family at the time. It was a grand occasion - beautiful clothes, lots of food and sweets to eat - and family bonding.
I miss those days now. All of us have moved to different parts of the world. Our "families" are now our friends and these festivals are usually celebrated quietly. We usually make Diwali traditional sweets and savouries and exchange these with our friends.
This year however I had a party for my mother's birthday a couple of days before Diwali so I combined the birthday and Diwali celebrations.
This is another Indian festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. On this day sisters tie a Rakhi (a sacred thread) on their brother's wrist. It symbolises a sister's love and prayers for the well-being off her brother and her brother's lifelong vow to protect her. Hence Raksha - to protect Bandhan - to tie.
In our family this is symbolised by the tying of the Rakhi and by the sister giving her brother his favourite sweets (my brother loves chocolates and chocolate cake) and the brother giving his sister a gift.
With my kids however we changed the tradition a little with both kids receiving gifts from each other.
I think this is a beautiful tradition that brings brothers and sisters closer and reinforces the loving bond that siblings have.
I think the tradition originated sometime in the 1500s when soldiers went to war, their families tied a sacred thread to bless them for success and thereby protect the families and villages.
I think it must've been so amazing to have met him in the flesh and blood. For all those who met him and heard him and sat with him, ate with him, it must have been a moment of pure bliss. Those were truly blessed people to have experienced Divinity first hand.What would it be like to have an Angel (as in the Divine being) visit?
There are many people who have claimed to have had Angel visits, or seen Angels. Only one person I know has claimed to have been visited by an Angel. Has anyone has this experience? I don't know how I would react.Did he like me? I think he did but did he really?
An absolutely gorgeous guy I knew and liked heaps in my teenage years. I'll never know if he really liked me 'cos he passed away so young. But I hope he did. He was so nice, so kind and so sweet and ever so cute. Oh I wish I knew.What is my life's work and who is my gorgeous Soulmate?
I think about these questions a lot and I am curious to know the answers. But then if I knew, the journey to discovery would be no fun. But I would like to know where my next job lies (C'mon Universe, tell me).And I think it's great to be curious because I believe that curiosity paves the way for dreams and dreams lead us to our Destiny.
"Everybody's talking about peace, but nobody does anything about it in a peaceful way."
"Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King are great examples of fantastic nonviolents who died violently. I can never work that out. We're pacifists, but I'm not sure what it means when you're such a pacifist that you get shot. I can never understand that."
"You are all geniuses, and you are all beautiful. You don't need anyone to tell you who you are. You are what you are. Get out there and get peace, think peace, live peace, and breathe peace, and you'll get it as soon as you like."
