The Christmas Cactus Blooms: How can we “give” this Christmas?

My Christmas Cactus lived outside all summer. I recently brought it inside (a week after Labour Day) and this week it WOKE UP and decided to start blooming. I don’t know why it bloomed? I originally was given the Christmas cactus by our Uncle John – his son, Chris has a VERY green thumb. I didn’t hold out much hope for it but, there you have it – blooming away!!

The cactus made me think how quickly time flies – in 2 months Christmas will be over! I am a Christmas planner…I make lists (and check them twice) and bake, write out cards and try to make homemade gifts. Christmas planning for me starts with my first jar of jam – a lot of my preserving is given away as gifts at Christmas to friends and family.

How do you get into the spirit of the season?

1. Consider sponsoring a family – call your local school and ask how you can help. No matter how well off the neighbourhood, there is always a family that needs support during the holidays.
2. Bake some cookies. Deliver a tray to each of your neighbours. Keep it simple – gingerbread men or sugar cookies, snickerdoodles or snowball cookies. Connecting with your neighbours over the Holidays will brighten their celebrations and give you a boost that doesn’t involve sugar.
3. Do you crochet? Make some dishcloths as gifts for friends and family.
4. Make a list of 10 people you know of that could use a boost this Holiday Season….make some fudge, write out a card, and drop it by. Pinterest has NO shortage of ideas for simple things to make to brighten someone’s day.
5. Are you a teacher? Have your students create Holiday cards for seniors and drop them off – that will totally brighten their day.
6. Look for opportunities to donate mittens and hats to local schools.
7. Make sure you recognize the people in your life that help you the most – do you shop at a grocery store on a regular basis, pharmacy, mail carrier – it may seem old fashioned but, showing appreciation never goes out of style.
8. Plan low key, delicious and simple meals so that you are not spending all day in the kitchen instead of with your family. BBQ steaks…make some fries in the air fryer…make salads and vegetables ahead.
9. Initiate a community food drive – visit your neighbours and set up a time to pick up and deliver to a local food bank.
10. Make a donation in someone’s name this Christmas – many people do not really need anything but, appreciate the thoughtfulness of a donation to an organization that means something to them.

There are lots of days until Christmas so, as my Christmas cactus blooms away, I will be creating and thinking and trying to find ways to show kindness and compassion this Holidays Season.