The holidays can get confusing if your birthday (or the birthday of someone you love) falls in the middle of them. I consider myself somewhat of an expert on this, since I’ve had a Christmas Eve birthday for, oh, 30 odd years or so. People with a holiday birthdays grow up with a love-hate relationship with … More Holiday Birthdays
Regardless of your spiritual preference, I’m guessing most of us can agree this time of year (at its essence) celebrates the good qualities of humanity— camaraderie, giving, appreciation, and hope. I’m also guessing we could agree it’s typically not adorned with murder and revenge. So imagine my surprise when my Rudolph special was interrupted with a commercial for this: “What’s … More Deck the Halls With Retribution, Falalala Lala La La
There’s no getting around it. The holidays are in full effect, and that means it’s gift time. Most people dread it, but you really don’t have to. What if, instead of throwing money at the problem this year, we put our hearts into it? Included below are a slew of ideas to get your brain … More Holiday Gift Ideas
Any time is a good time of year to remind ourselves of these 5 lessons from Rudolph: 1. Never underestimate hope. “There’s always tomorrow for dreams to come true.”
Our lives, in both good and bad times, are very much a product of the influential people who surround us. Today I’m acknowledging 10 such people in my life. (You might even be surprised by the last one.) I encourage you to do so, too, whether it’s by phone, handwritten letter, e-mail, or even a simple … More Giving Thanks
If there were a spokeswomen for hostess gifts, I’d be a contender. Anyone who’s ever hosted anything knows that, after putting so much thought and work into doing something for others, it’s heartwarming to have a little gesture of acknowledgment in return. Whether you use one of these ideas or (even better) come up with … More Hostess Gift Ideas
I usually do a funny, frivolous post on Fridays, but with Dia de Los Meurtos culminating today, I’m inclined to do something a little different, if that’s alright with you. As I wrote last year, fall and the holidays have a particularly poignant shade for many of us who grieve. I use “grieve” in the present tense, … More Dia de Los Muertos
One fall Saturday, a hungry and bored couple (newly enamored with Iron Chef and pumpkin coffee) had an idea … That couple was me and my husband back when we had the kid-less luxury to lay around all day and scheme up pastimes. Now Pumpkin Day has stuck. It’s our own made-up holiday, but our … More Pumpkin Day!
My Castle Heart Publications 