The gift of hope

 

(Hands hold up a heart-shaped stone with the word Hope inscribed on it. Ocean in the background.)

As we speed towards the end of 2023, I can only say that my gift to those around me is the gift of hope.

I pray fervently for hope for a better and brighter future for our kids.
For starvation, war, and other man-made hardships to be greatly reduced.
For natural disasters to be less destructive.
Above all! For mankind to be kinder and more generous to each other.
To be more considerate to each other and to hope for a happier, healthier, and more positive world!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

Time to bake and cook with family and friends

(On top of a wooden table covered in sprinkles of white flour are cinnamon sticks, pine fronds, raspberries, star anise, eggs and cookie cutters all arranged in a circle.)

It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year and I just love humming that song sung by the late Andy Williams! A song that will be played over and over each year.  A Christmas song forever!

Ah, yes!  The smells!  The tastes!  The chatter and laughter in the kitchen!  Everyone just ready to pitch in and do their part to make those cookies, cakes, pies, and so much more!

Never mind sitting down to eat all of these yummy goodies accompanied by glasses of hot drinks: hot chocolate, cider, and more.

Then the turkey, ham, pork, duck, goose, chicken, all being cooked and baked!
Ah, yes!  Those wonderful smells intermingling with each other.

Yes!  This is the time to enjoy.
Time to bake and cook!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

 

Exchanging those precious gifts

 

(A stack of gifts sit in the foreground with bows and ornaments all around. There is a Christmas tree and even more gifts blurred in the background.)

For me, I truly believe that the most precious gift is the gift of giving!  Nevertheless, there are other gifts for me to reflect upon.

The gifts of peace, love, joy, happiness, best wishes, and more are all ones for me to give to others.  In addition, to share with others who are less fortunate: food, clothes, toys for the kids, and whatever I can give.

The gift of giving is definitely the most precious gift for me!  

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

Time to start celebrating

 

No time like the present for me, with my cat by my side, to start celebrating the Christmas holiday season. It’s funny how our pets really enjoy listening to a musical instrument.  Chester is no different and he simply loves it whenever I or anyone else plays the piano.

Thank goodness that he never comments on my piano playing but just having him hanging out with me is so much fun.

He does not know the words to the songs that I play but that’s just okay with me.  He does not know the melodies but it does not matter to me.  I am just happy to have him with me and he seems to enjoy it all.  Even my humming does not seem to affect him.

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 tthat will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

Time to enjoy a cozy fire

( A view of a fire in a fireplace with a person's feet propped up on a coffee table in front of it.)

I do not think that there is any better time than this time of the year for us to enjoy and savour moments before a cozy fire.  

Too often we have the best of intentions when it comes to just relaxing before a cozy fire but how often do we really follow through with our desire?  The holidays are here and now let us take time to relax. Kick off our shoes, get into some nice comfy clothes and enjoy the fire.

With cups of hot chocolate!  Plates of yummy Christmas cookies!  Soft music playing in the background! Maybe friends and family close by or why not on our own?

Just my thoughts for today.

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

 

Enjoying the Christmas tree

 (A beautifully decorated and fully lit Christmas Tree reflects off of a polished wooden table.)

I dare say that no Christmas is ever Christmas without 2 very important things for me! First, there must be a manger with Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and all of the accompanying figures. Then, my beloved Christmas tree adorned with all of the lights, ornaments, traditional figures, and yes! The star atop the tree.

Oh, how I love to just sit there and take it all in. To see the lights! To smell the fragrance of pine! To imagine myself as a child when I used to crawl under the tree and quietly inspect all of the wrapped presents. To imagine good old Santa Claus sneaking into my home and placing presents under the Christmas tree.

For me, this is what it is all about when it comes to enjoying the Christmas tree. To enjoy it today and to remember it yesterday. Most of all, to keep on enjoying it!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

 

Some Christmas holiday delights

 

Call me a kid at heart but I would not have it any other way! Yes!  I simply love to enjoy all of those wonderful Christmas cookies, the rum cake, minced fruit pies, and cranberries.

My thoughts go back to when I was a kid and I would help Mom and Granny in the kitchen to cook and bake. The house would be filled with yummy aromas. Lots of laughter, chatter, and the radio playing Christmas songs.

These are only just a few of my holiday delights.  So many memories to recall and so many more to make.  With Mom and family and memories of Granny, Dad, and Robert.
This is the beauty of my holiday delights.

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024t hat will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

Time to relax and enjoy

 

Ah, yes, and it is probably one of the things that I truly enjoy at this time of the year. To relax and enjoy!
To clear my mind and imagination of cobwebs and clutter!
To enjoy the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of Christmas!
Cups of hot chocolate! Christmas cookies and cakes!  Minced fruit pies!
Skating on an outdoor rink!
Going shopping and buying gifts for friends and family!
Stuffing backpacks with goodies for a less fortunate family!
Listening to those favourite Christmas carols and songs and singing along.
Then bringing out my keyboard and playing along.
Looking forward to celebrating Christmas mass with my family!

Ah, yes!  Time to relax and enjoy! Time to just say that all of my troubles are miles away!
Must not forget to dream of Santa riding on his sleigh!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

So very thankful for what I can share and give

 

I know only too well that Christmas in my homeland of Canada is one of great honour, privilege, and so much more.

I have so very much to be thankful for and my dearest and only wish is that I can give, share, and spread my good fortunes to others in other corners of the world.

To those in Ukraine!  To those in Gaza, and to so many others in Africa and other parts of the world! I have so much to give, share and spread!  

Canada is blessed with an abundance of food, water, has freedom of speech, and I so very wish that all of this could help others not to go hungry, thirsty, or without warm beds!

Yes! I am tremendously thankful!  Yes, I can only do my little part to promote peace, love, joy, good cheer, and happiness to the less fortunate.

Yes! When I attend Christmas mass on Christmas Eve, I’ll thank the Baby Jesus for all of my own personal blessings for me and my family.  I’ll think of those who are hungry when I sit down for my Christmas meal and I’ll ask the Good Lord to bless them and keep them safe!

Finally, I will not only think of the less fortunate at Christmas but all year through. As a very popular Christmas song says: “The secret of Christmas is not the things you do at Christmas time but the Christmas things you do all year through.”

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

Christmas is not complete without those wreaths

 

Oh no. Those wreaths are a vital part of my Christmas. There they are, adorning my walls with their beauty. All made up of leaves, holly, berries, bows, and all kinds of other things.  All sizes but they are all round in shape.

All combinations of colours, but red, green, gold, and silver are the main colours. One hangs over our front door. Others adorn walls around the home.

Ah yes! Christmas is not complete without these wreaths.

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

I am starting to dream

 

It does not really matter how old I am! Each year the dreams are almost the same. From my earliest days as a child and now as an adult! Each year I dream the same dreams.

I  dream of a tall stately Christmas tree loaded with lights and ornaments. I dream of oodles of presents under the tree. I even dream of Santa and Rudolph somehow opening the door to our home and silently slipping in to leave all kinds of goodies! But most of all!  I dream of going to church with the family to celebrate Christmas Mass. To visit the manger and pay homage to BabyJesus, Mary, and Joseph! 

Then sitting in the pew with Mom, Dad, Granny, and my brothers and cousins and listening to the priest’s sermon and then to join in the singing of those Christmas carols. Then to smell the scent of the lit candles.

Ah yes! I am starting to dream!  The happiest time of the year for me! Not long now and it will all play out once more.

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com

My Christmas holiday thoughts

 

Oh yes, and it is that time of the year when I turn to my Christmas holiday thoughts! So much to remember and new thoughts and memories to create and then to tuck safely away in my memory bank.

Yes! My memory bank is simply packed with my favourite Christmas holiday thoughts. So much to unpack but that’s okay! From my beloved Christmas tree, fully decorated with lights, gifts stuffed under the tree, and everyone just dying to know what Santa and family has brought for them.

The tree is the focal point here! Standing majestically in our living room, and then other smaller ones sitting on tables around the house. The house is filled with the fragrance of pine and Granny and Mom cooking and baking!

For me, it is all about giving, sharing, and spreading. To give to the less fortunate. To give to family and friends. To share with others and with less fortunate families. To spread joy, love, and peace! This is what my Christmas holiday thoughts are made of.

Then to remember wonderful Christmases gone by! With Granny, Mom and Dad, and my brothers and cousins when we all celebrated with each other. Cooking, baking, and shopping. Mountains of parcels to give and share. Toys to give to the less fortunate kids and then the family gathering to enjoy a sumptuous Christmas dinner.

Finally and most important: Welcoming Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph into our home. Thoughts of the stable with all of the figures; from animals to shepherds and the 3 wise men.

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2024 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give a gift of accessibility to families with children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan
Would love to hear from you as well.
You can reach me at donnajodhan@gmail.com