When I arrive at the Lodge where my mother lives for their Christmas celebration, the entertainment has just begun. 9 seniors prance around wearing red reindeer headbands, jingling bells from their hands. They push their walkers, bob up and down like reindeer pulling a sleigh as the narrator reads the classic Christmas tale, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and ‘Santa’ unloads his (her) sack, filling the stockings that were hung by the chimney with care.

It was sweet and poignant and lovely and there was my 90-year-old mother, pushing her walker, prancing around like a reindeer, smiling and waving her bells at the crowd.

And I wonder where I get it from?  🙂  Thanks mom. You’ve taught me to get involved and be part of the action — no matter my age!

Which is a good thing. Because Sunday is my birthday. The next to the next Big One. You know, one of those numbers that marks a decade passed – another one entered. I’m obviously not ready to mention the decade yet, but… come next year, I’m sure I’ll be accustomed to thinking of myself as part of the ‘new 40’ as a friend recently described her new decade age.

Yeah. I like the ‘new 40’, sort of like how my dress size is now a ‘new 8’ which was once a 10 or maybe 12… And seriously, it’s just a number and I can still out-dance even the most limber of 20-year olds, except my daughters of course. They take the cake in dance-offs. But I keep pace. Oh yes I do! ‘Cause I’m not turning 50 something. I’m the ‘new 40’!  (and yes, you don’t have to be a math wizard to figure that one out without a calculator.)

And after the festivities at the Lodge, I got to share dinner with both my daughters. Alexis, the eldest, flew in last night to celebrate ‘Birthday weekend’ (it’s C.C.’s birthday on Saturday) and an early Christmas. Her boyfriend arrives Saturday, as does my middle sister and Saturday night we’ll have a house-full of people eating and laughing and sharing and connecting over a candlelit dinner table where Love will be the most important ingredient we share.

I am so excited.

I love this time of year.

I love the lights, the gentleness of the dawn creeping along the horizon in ever-expanding streaks of pink and rose and amber. I love the quiet of the night, the darkness spread out to encompass a snow-clad world that slumbers gently beneath a blanket of stars.

I love the crinkly bows and glittery trees. The music everywhere reminding us to Rejoice! Rejoice! and the calling out of “Merry Christmas” to passers-by.

I love Santa bells jingling and red kettles inviting us to make a difference. The concerts and the hot chocolate (laced with something special for the adults). The caroller’s singing, the sound of skateblades swishing across the ice.

I love the goodwill that permeates the air, the excited laughter of children’s voices lining up to visit The North Pole so that they can whisper into Santa’s ears their heartfelt wishes for Christmas.

I love the people turning up to lend a hand, help out, make a difference in shelters and foodbanks, in kiosks at malls where charities raise funds for good causes, and people seeking a cause to support that will be a reflection of the difference they want to make in the world.

I love Christmas.

For at Christmas we are reminded of the possibilities for Peace. Hope. Love. and Joy. in our world. We are reminded to stop, breathe, pause, and let the wonder and the magic of this holy time of year settle upon our hearts as we touch the flames of our magnificence burning at the soul of our desire to make a difference in the world.

I watched my mother dance and prance around like a reindeer last night. I watched her smile and wave to the crowd as she shared all that she has to give — her love — with the world.

And then, I sat at a candlelit table with my daughters. We shared a meal. We laughed and teased, told stories on one another, about each other, for each other while around us, that which connects us wound its way around our table, through our hearts and into the soul of who we are, together or apart. We are Love.

It is my favourite time of year. It is the season of Peace. Hope. Love. and Joy. 

A time to celebrate all that is miraculous, divine and holy in our world.

May we each know Peace, may we each have Hope, may our spirits be filled with Love and may we carry Joy throughout our day.

Namaste.