Christmas Reflections & Message from Jo
I'm a sucker for Christmas.
Since I've been a little girl, I’ve loved Christmas - so many great childhood memories:
Fresh pine branch - cut down by my dad / brother from our front yard
Very authentic Christmas decorations that were homemade and brought out year after year including decorated pine cones
Stockings filled will lollies and wisdom for the year ahead. My dad gave us a letter every Christmas to tell us why he was proud of us and reminders for the new year. I still have those letters and they have some pearls of wisdom for the new year.
Spending time with family and friends and having a laugh, sharing some food and appreciating the simple things
Summer break was a time to reset, relax and plan for the year ahead - lessons learnt and how to make the most of the new year
My childhood Christmas was centred around the church. My dad was an Anglican minister. Attending church services, involvement in plays and focus on supporting others who were not as lucky as us during this time. I always enjoyed the midnight service on Christmas Eve and after it we sat and ate some amazing food / gifts that were shared with us. People were very generous and great cooks.
As you get older things change, life goes quickly and before you know it it's another Christmas to celebrate! It's easy to make it too hard, stressful and a challenge but it's always good to remember what matters most - spending time with people you love most and to take a break, to breathe and plan your next year - what can I do better and what will make me happy?
For me Christmas means:
1. A real Christmas tree - can't beat the smell!
2. Find a way to send a positive message to the people that I love
3. Finding time to connect with the people closest to me
4. To reflect on the year and key changes for the upcoming year
My dad always thought about others, he was known for his caring nature and being there for others. I learnt from my dad about kindness, generosity of spirit, and making the best of every opportunity.
2020 wasn't the year that anyone planned but it was a great year. So many lessons and experiences and a good chance to reassess priorities and what is important and appreciate the simple things we take for granted.
Take time this Christmas break to;
Enjoy time with family and friends
Take a break and reflection time to think on what is important for you for 2021 and how do you achieve that
Build your goals for 2021
… and remember
Smile and enjoy life – you only get to live once and leave your legacy.
“It isn’t how much time you spend somewhere that makes it memorable: it’s how you spend the time.”
Jo Hands, Whiteark Co-Founder
