Gracious Holiday Time

Take a moment to pop by Mindy’s blog The Gracious Girl and wish her Happy Holidays! Well Gracious Girls, the holidays are here!

Be Gracious, Out and About

One of my favorite things about the holidays is getting out. The lights, the decor in the stores and the hot cup of chai in my hands. But let’s face it: Sometimes going out is anything but cheery. Can you say “Black Friday, pepper spray?” What in the world? Anyway, as we go out this year, I challenge you to come up with a theme song. One that you can play in your head. One that gets you in the cheery mood. One that is less like the WWF theme song “Let’s get ready to Rumble” and more like the one sang by Buddy the Elf in the movie “Elf.” “I’ m singing/I’m in a store/and I’m siiiiiingiiiiing!/I’m in a store/and I’m siiiiiingiiiiing!” Hopefully a little of our gracious cheer will wear off on others or just be a respite for that store clerk. So remember to smile, make eye contact and to say those magic words: “Please” and “Thank you.”

Be Gracious About Celebrating Tradition

When it comes to celebrating this season, sometimes we are tempted to draw a line in the holiday sand, holding tight to our beliefs and only our beliefs. But this season, let’s open up our Gracious Me hearts to the fact that not everyone believes the same. Does this mean your beliefs aren’t valuable? Nope. Does it mean you have to change them? Not at all. For me, I believe in the birth of Jesus and that’s what we celebrate. But I have many friends to celebrate differently. So no matter what color you choose these holidays: Red and Green Blue Brown, black, pink… What ever you choose, don’t forget that it’s more than okay to wish our friends and family of other faiths well. And if someone who celebrates “Winterfest” extends a holiday branch and says “Merry Christmas” don’t over-think it. Take it for exactly what it is: a gracious holiday gesture. ‘Tis the season for holiday greetings after all!

‘Tis the Season to Take a Moment

When it comes to being “Gracious Me” this Holiday season, sometimes we just have to hit pause. Reset. Stop and smell the cocoa. So who is with me? Shall we do it? I’m not afraid! Take a walk, pour a cup of coffee, snuggle up in front of the fire. Sure there are presents to be wrapped, toys to be donated, food to be prepared and cheer to be spread. But let’s face it, if we don’t take time for a little Gracious Me, our cheer will be more of a “have to” and not a “want to.” And let’s be honest, everyone knows the “have to” cheer and it’s less than cheery. Enjoy the pause and the Gracious Me time!