It's been a bit of a different Christmas here this year. Less of everything including decorations, gifts and baking. Even the weather has decide to take a break from the norm this year, and I told you earlier that Frosty had to cancel. Some things though have to stay the same. That's the cans. One year my son gave me a can filled with lots of little gifts that were so thoughtful and useful. Most were local items that he found shopping in the town he lives in, Gloucester Massachusetts. It is one of the few towns that still supports a local downtown shopping area with every kind of shop imaginable, many run by local folks selling their talents. That first year, I was so excited as I unwrapped the contents of that can. Each item was so personally selected. I knew that a lot of thought went into his choices, from the jams, homemade candies to little books that I would love. A heart shaped paper weight, incense for my meditation table. Even a jar of sand from the local beach to burn my incense in and vases for flowers. Not only did I love it, but so do everyone else. From that one can, a new tradition was started. Everyone now has a can and it is the gift that we all look forward to the most. Tiny things tucked into tissue paper, pencils and crayons for the boys. A deck of Old Maid or Go Fish. Hearts for those who need one this year, cleaning supplies, body lotions and always books in each can. Each can also always has a hand-made card or envelope with a note for time spent. A gift that we give for an outing someplace during the year. Just for the giver and recipent to enjoy together. So we gave up hanging stockings and now we do cans. Chris now does one for both me and his Dad and I do one for everyone else, sometimes I even tucked in a few bucks just so they can shop for something that Santa didn't think of. Six years we added a can for Liam and 3 years ago Jaxson got his can. I love watching them get excited over chocolate covered peep snowmen or a tin for saving their change in and each year they get a new pair of hand made mittens from Nana.
The cans took on greater meaning this year when my friend Sherry Galey told me about a project her sister was working on. After thinking about this project, it came to me that the cans represented that wonderful idea of the 5-H Giving. Thank you Elena Galey-Pride for your work on this project. So now I'm sharing it with you. Perhaps you have a tradition that your kids introduced to your family gathering. Maybe your tradition was carried forward from a past generation. However you came upon your tradition, I hope you think of the people who instilled that tradition in you. That to me is what the holidays are about. Keeping the love of our family alive, both past and present, sharing our common likes and getting to know each other through the sharing. To give and receive, to continue this year after year, generation after generation, to incorporate tradition into our lives keeps the spirit of Christmas in our hearts all year long.
Wishing you all a most wonderful Christmas of making new memories and sharing in the old memories that come to you still. Thank you for all your lovely visits, comments and friendship over this past year. Each one of you brings such joy into my life when I see your name pop up on my blog page. Wouldn't it be nice if in 2016 we all took a step into the future with love and peace in our hearts. Now, wouldn't that be a lovely year long tradition to start. I sense though, that I'm preaching to the choir because I believe all of you here have those qualities in your hearts already. Now all we have to do is convence the rest of the world to join us. Peace and love to all of you..from me.