What Christmas Means to me My Love

As a child I was hugely materialistic, but I think that's just the way it is to be a kid. You want a million toys and Christmas is about packages under the tree.

As I've gotten older Christmas has been about traditions. Things like, when you go get the tree and how you choose to decorate it. In my family we do themed trees and have ever since the first Christmas without my dear Grandma Doreen. That year was purple. This year is All That Glitters.

But now that I'm an adult, and now that my life is going in such a magical new direction, I don't hold onto anything too tightly. The one thing, though, which has remained (Besides delighting in the abundance of delicious food the season brings.) is my ability to find the Perfect Gift. I love when I've wrapped something chosen with great care, knowing it will be appreciated because it was given with love.

In light of my immanent departure and because I'm saving money, I didn't buy my gifts this year. I gave away things that meant something to me or I gave the gift of my art work.

Each year I will have certain gifts that I am looking forward to giving the most. Whilst this year was no different, every gift I've given was given with great care, thought and love.

Two of them, however, were extremely important.

To my best friend of eighteen years (Has it been so long?) I gave Temperance, my 9th Tarot card of the year.

To my mum I gave Strength, which I finished in early November and have had to keep utterly secret since.

I had two goals for myself in 2009. One was to pay off my debt so I could travel in 2010. I'm happy to say I'm $100 and a flight on January 6th away from that goal.

The other was to paint a Tarot Card a month. At the time I made the goal I don't think I really had any idea what it meant. I've since come to see that the cards I paint will be done in time, according to whatever influences are in my life. Nine out of twelve isn't too bad for a years worth of work. Each one has been a learning experience and some have been more tiresome than others. I'm happy to say that both Strength and Temperance, in being made with genuine love and appreciation for their recipients, were completed in ten or so hours over a period of two days each. When I knew I was going to do them it happened just like that. There was no choice on my part. It was more of just knowing I had to go buy a canvas and get to work so the image in my head could be shared.

To finally be able to give them today was brilliant. It was fully worth the wait and I'm happy to be able to unveil them now to all of you who follow my blog.

Whether you celebrate it or not, may you enjoy the holidays. May you be safe, may you be happy and may you have ease of mind.