Christmas Recipes for the Diabetic or Gluten-Free Person

The Christmas holiday season must be difficult for the person suffering from diabetes or from an intolerance of gluten in their diet. All the good food and smells that tempt them to eat the foods they should not eat. Here are five recipes, two for diabetics and three for gluten-free people, for you to try this Christmas season.

Diabetic recipes

SUGAR FREE CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3 tablespoons Equal ® sugar substitute
• 1 egg
• Several drops of food coloring (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Cream shortening. Add sweetener, egg, and food coloring (if desired); beat well.
2. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, add the milk, vanilla, and water. Put in flour mixture and stir well.
3. Chill dough 2 to 4 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
5. Roll out 1/8 inch thick and cut the cookies into desired shapes. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Cool. Store in air tight container.

Recipe Yield: Yield: 24 servings
diabeticgourmet.com

Ginger & Spice Crackles

These soft and moist cookies are spiked with ginger, cinnamon and a hint of clove and they crackle on top when they bake. Rolling them in powdered sugar gives them a lightly sweet coating on the outside that looks like a dusting of fresh fallen snow.

By Hilary Meyer 

 Tested by EatingWell Test Kitchen

Active Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs
Servings: 36

Nutrition Profile: Low-Carb Diabetes-Appropriate Low-Sodium Low-Fat

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup white whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat brown sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until well combined. Beat in egg and molasses. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Form the dough into a disk, about 1 inch thick, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 large rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.
4. Place confectioners’ sugar in a shallow dish. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls (a generous 1 Tbsp. each), then roll in the confectioners’ sugar to coat liberally. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies crackle on top, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Tips

To make ahead: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, December 2020

Gluten-Free recipes

Festive Meringue Christmas Trees

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 3 hours + standingYIELD: about 26 meringues

These meringues are eye-catching on the dessert table at a holiday party, and they taste heavenly! Look no further for the perfect treat to get you into the Christmas spirit. —Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites
• 1-1/2 teaspoons clear or regular vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Dash salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Green food coloring
• Assorted sprinkles
• Star nonpareils
• Confectioners’ sugar, optional

Directions

• 1. Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• 2. Preheat oven to 200°. Add vanilla, cream of tartar and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes. Tint with green food coloring and mix thoroughly.
• 3. Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag; insert a large #828 open star tip. Transfer meringue to bag. Pipe 2-in.-diameter tree shapes 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets; top with sprinkles and a star nonpareil.
• 4. Bake until firm to the touch, about 3 hours. Turn off oven and open door all the way; leave meringues in oven until cool. Remove meringues from parchment. If desired, sprinkle lightly with confectioners’ sugar. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

© 2024 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC

Gluten-Free Spritz Delights

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. Bake: 10 min./batch + coolingYIELD: 8-1/2 dozen.

My daughter has Down syndrome and loves hosting parties, especially on holidays. Cookies always took center stage until she was diagnosed with celiac disease. I decided then to take on gluten-free baking, and these are the best yet—a cross between a shortbread and a sugar cookie. —Cheryl Costilow, Amherst, Ohio

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour (without xanthan gum)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup gluten-free vanilla frosting
• Food coloring, optional
• Gluten-free sprinkles

Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, xanthan gum and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.
• 2. Using a cookie press fitted with a disk of your choice, press dough 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 6-8 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• 3. In a microwave, warm frosting to reach a drizzling consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring. Drizzle over cookies; decorate with sprinkles. Let stand until set.

© 2024 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC

Creamy Orange Caramels

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 10 min. Cook: 30 min.+ standingYIELD: about 2-1/2 pounds (80 pieces).

Each Christmas I teach myself a new candy recipe. Last year I started with my caramel recipe and added a splash of orange extract for fun. This year I just might try buttered rum extract. —Shelly Bevington-Fisher, Hermiston, Oregon

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon plus 1 cup butter, divided
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• 1. Line an 11×7-in. dish with foil, letting ends extend over sides by 1 in.; grease foil with 1 teaspoon butter.
• 2. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; boil gently, without stirring, for 4 minutes.
• 3. Remove from the heat; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 244° (firm-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in extracts. Immediately pour into prepared dish (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm.
• 4. Using foil, lift out candy; remove foil. Using a buttered knife, cut caramel into scant 1-1/2×1-in. pieces. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

© 2024 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC

Merry Christmas to all, and to all some good eating!

Happy Easter!

Enjoy this Easter Cantata performed during the March 24, 2024 Sunday evening service by the choir at the Grace Fellowship Church of Oak Forest, IL.

Christmas on the Radio

Gunsmoke: Marshall Matt Dillon tells about Christmas at Dodge City.

Suspense: “Twas The Night Before Christmas” broadcast December 21, 1953.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas in Belgium

In early November St. Nicholas begins appearing in Belgium.  He is tall, thin, and dresses in the robes of a Catholic bishop.  He carries a staff that looks much like a shepherd’s crook.  It is thought he usually arrives by boat from Spain.  He uses many modes of transportation such as marching in parades, flying in helicopters, or riding a donkey when he arrives in the towns and cities of Belgium.  Like Santa Claus, St. Nicholas may be found with children talking with them and taking photographs with them.

Every year the children of Belgium write so many letters to St. Nicholas that the Belgian postal service hires people to help answer St. Nicholas’s mail.  A treat is included in every reply.  On December 4 St. Nicholas comes to talk with the children to find out if they have been good or not.  Many children entertain St. Nicholas with poems and songs learned at school. 

On December 5 children put their shoes by the hearth or in front of a window along with speculoos, a traditional Belgian Christmas cookie, and other treats for St. Nicholas and his horse in hopes that St. Nicholas fills the shoes with treats and gifts.  After the children go to sleep, St. Nicholas goes from house to house on a white horse or donkey leaving presents for the children.  These gifts may include oranges or tangerines, candy, nuts, and presents for good children, onions, lumps of coal, or whipping rods for bad children.

On December 6 St. Nicholas may be seen visiting boarding schools and orphanages giving gifts to those children.  He may also be seen at city council meetings and offices of large companies.

Gifts may be given at different times during the Christmas season.  Some children get their gifts from St. Nicholas on his day December 6.  Other children must wait until the Christkindl (Christ Child), or St. Nicholas, Pere Noel, or Santa Claus brings their gifts on Christmas Eve.  A few children receive gifts at both times.  Some French-speaking Belgians wait until New Year’s Day to exchange gifts.

Christmas trees are becoming more popular.  They may be decorated with lights, small candles, ornaments shaped like apples and other fruit or pinecones, speculoos, chocolate wreaths with sprinkles, and brightly colored ornaments and garlands.  Edible ornaments used on Christmas trees are replaced as others are eaten.

Merry Christmas 2023!

Luke 2

Christ Born of Mary

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Circumcision of Jesus

²¹ And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Simeon Sees God’s Salvation

²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹ “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation
³¹ Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³² A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

³³ And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against ³⁵ (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Anna Bears Witness to the Redeemer

³⁶ Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; ³⁷ and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. ³⁸ And coming in that instant she gave thanks to ^[j]the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Matthew 2

Wise Men from the East

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

⁵ So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The Flight into Egypt

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

¹⁴ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, ¹⁵ and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

I hope each one of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Freebies 2023

With the price of everything going up, up, up, everyone could use some free stuff this Christmas season.  Here are three websites offering free stuff to help your Christmas budget go further.  One of them even offers places you can donate money to (or you can get help getting gifts for your family) to help others less fortunate celebrate Christmas.

The Krazy Coupon Lady
Free Stuff & Freebies You Can Get In 2023: Samples & Free Trials – The Krazy Coupon Lady

Well Kept Wallet
18 Places For Free Christmas Gifts In 2023 (wellkeptwallet.com)

Money Pantry
121 Christmas Freebies: Amazing Free Stuff to Celebrate the Season With – MoneyPantry

May you have a blessed and merry Christmas!

Belgian Christmas Recipes

Many Belgians may include some of the following recipes in their Christmas celebrations. Each recipe sounds so good. Perhaps I should make some of them this Christmas.

A recipe for the traditional Belgian Christmas Cookie, Speculoos, was given in this blog several months ago, https://customsofchristmas.wordpress.com/2023/06/26/. Here’s another website with a recipe you can try for these cookies, https://www.oliviascuisine.com/speculoos-cookies-recipe/.

If you wish to make a Buche de Noel (Yule Log Cake), try the recipe at this website, https://www.theflavorbender.com/buche-de-noel-yule-log-cake/. They give you step-by-step directions help you make each part of this wonderful cake.

These last three recipes sound so good. I am giving you the recipe and the link to the website they came from. Try them out, and enjoy!

BEST EVER POTATO CROQUETTES

How long will it take?
1 hour

What do I need?
700 g Dutch Cream potatoes
3 eggs, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup grated parmesan
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup plain flour
1 tbsp water
¾ cup breadcrumbs
3 tbsp olive oil

How do I make it?

1. Peel and cook potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until fork tender. Drain, and mash well (or use a potato ricer). Lightly beat 1 egg and add to the potatoes along with the garlic, parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper and mix until just combined; do not overmix or the texture will become “gluey”.
2. Using a tablespoon, scoop out some potato mixture and roll into a log-like croquette shape. Place on a lined baking tray and repeat until all mixture is used. Place croquettes in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare 3 shallow bowls by adding the flour to one bowl, 2 lightly beaten eggs and 1 tablespoon of water to the second bowl, and the breadcrumbs to the third bowl.
4. Preheat oven to 190C/375F.
5. Roll each croquette in the flour, shaking to remove excess flour. Dip in egg wash, then roll in breadcrumbs.
6. Working in batches, pan-fry croquettes in olive oil until golden brown, then place all croquettes in a baking dish and cook in oven for 15 minutes.

https://hillstreetgrocer.com/recipes/entrees/best-ever-potato-croquettes/

POM KOEK (BELGIAN COFFEE CAKE)

INGREDIENTS
3 cups flour
1⁄2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup honey
1 cup hot coffee
1 egg
1⁄3 cup corn oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a 9″ by 4″ in loaf pan by lightly greasing the sides. Cut a piece of wax paper or parchment to fit the bottow for quick removal.
3. Mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon & cloves).
4. In a separate bowl, quickly mix 1 egg. Spoon in and mix the honey, coffee, and oil.
5. Quickly fold in the dry ingredients – mixing just enough to combine without toughening the batter.
6. Fold into pan and bake for 30 minutes. Use a tooth pick to see if center is done.
7. Slice thinly and serve warm plain or with butter.

https://www.food.com/recipe/pom-koek-belgian-coffee-cake-140852/

BELGIAN HOT CHOCOLATE

Ingredients
1 cup milk
3 ounces Quality Dark Belgian chocolate 56% min; 72% max.
1 1/2 ounces Quality Milk chocolate
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped cream such as Reddi Whip in the can
Dash of cinnamon (optional)
1 Tablespoon White sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Add half milk, chocolate and salt in pan and heat on low heat.
2. Stir until all chocolate is melted.
3. Add remaining ingredients.
4. Heat on Medium High heat.
5. Stir rapidly
6. Do not let boil
7. Once all ingredients are dissolved, serve warm.
8. Top with whipped cream and Chocolate curls/shavings.
9. Enjoy!

Belgian Hot Chocolate Recipe; Best Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe.

Merry Christmas!

How to have the Christmas you’ve always wanted – part 9

Christmas Revival

Are you hungry for the life and spirit you experienced in past Christmas celebrations? Do you dream of capturing the simple Christmas where gift-giving is put into proper perspective? Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to experiencing a Christmas revival.

Build strong family traditions. Include your children and their interests when planning new traditions. Every year before Christmas I ask each one of my children what they’d like to do during the Christmas season. Their answers help determine what we do for Christmas.

Make sure each family member plays a vital role in the family’s traditions. Each year the whole family decorates the Christmas tree and the house together. Then we choose one Saturday in December to make cookies (the kids help decide what cookies we make) and fudge for Christmas eating and for giving as gifts.

Include activities that add movement and physical activity to the celebration. Inactivity breeds boredom. As a child growing up, all my relatives went to my grandparents’ house for Christmas dinner. After dinner we’d play games, some of which were Christmas gifts received that morning, including going outside to play touch football. Those are some of my fondest childhood Christmas memories.

Look for lighthearted ways to add fun to the celebration. A few Christmases ago I bought glasses that look like 3-D glasses that make Christmas lights look like snowflakes, Santa Clauses, and angels. We then toured the town looking at Christmas lights through those glasses. The kids loved it. It was the best $6 I spent that year.

Revive traditions from your ethnic heritage. If you have a Spanish heritage, include a pinata in your Christmas celebration. If you’re heritage is from Europe research the Christmas customs from the nation and incorporate a tradition from that country. Try their traditional Christmas cuisine. The important thing is to include every member of the family in learning about the traditions of your ancestors.

I hope these last few blogs help you simplify your Christmas and make it a more enjoyable holiday. The following exercise will help you decide what activities or types of activities will liven up your Christmas holiday.

Exercise: Family Fun

This exercise will help you clarify what kind of activities you family most enjoys and will give you some ideas for new traditions to liven up your holiday.

1. Which of the following activities are generally enjoyed by the people you celebrate Christmas with? Check those you participated in last Christmas.
   Winter sports (specify)
   Card-playing
   Game-playing
   Singing
   Playing musical instruments
   Reading aloud to each other
   Attending concerts
   Entertaining friends
   Telling anecdotes about the family
   Dancing
   Cooking together
   Going for walks
   Taking trips to the country
   Creating skits and plays
   Caroling
   
2. Star the activities that you would like to do this year.

By doing this exercise, many people realize that they often neglect many of their favorite activities at Christmas. Adding just one enjoyable tradition is often all it takes to have a more rewarding celebration.

The Christmas Pledge

Believing in the beauty and simplicity of Christmas, I commit myself to the following:

1. To remember those people who truly need my gifts
2. To express my love for family and friends in more direct ways than presents
3. To rededicate myself to the spiritual growth of my family
4. To examine my holiday activities in light of the true spirit of Christmas
5. To initiate one act of peacemaking within my circle of family and friends

The material presented here was taken from the book Unplug The Christmas Machine by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli published by William Morrow and Company, Inc.

How to have the Christmas you’ve always wanted – part 8

A Simple Christmas

Think about your dream Christmas, your ideal Christmas celebration. Don’t worry about lack of money or lack of talent. Just imagine what you would do, where you would go, how you would celebrate your perfect Christmas. Most people’s ideal Christmas has four characteristics. It is simple, not elaborate. It is not expensive. Everyone gets along with each other; and the celebration is relaxing, not stressful.

Why don’t we have our fantasy Christmas every year? There are two reasons. One, most fantasies involve a little magic. We don’t have an unlimited amount of money to spend on decorations or gifts or entertainment. We also don’t have an unlimited about of talent to create the all around perfect Christmas. Two, life’s unpleasant realities are filtered out of our fantasies. The teenagers aren’t so cooperative and interactive. Uncle George doesn’t lay off the alcohol. Mom spends all her time in the kitchen preparing the meal and cleaning up after everyone with little if any help.

Those aren’t the only deterrents to the simple Christmas. Look at all the television ads, the women’s magazines, and television shows aimed at homemakers. They persuade people to make their Christmas as elaborate, as expensive, and as busy as possible. Another deterrent is people’s aversion to change. They want to have the same Christmas they had last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. They have traditions and rituals that they want to keep even though the traditions make Christmas more complicated. Also Christmas makes people nostalgic. They want to enjoy the same activities they participated in as children and share those activities with their children. Family obligations are a third deterrent to a simple Christmas. It can be hard to plan around a bed-ridden family member who relies on you for all their needs.

The following exercise will allow you to examine your fantasy Christmas and help you see what aspects of it you can incorporate into your Christmas celebration.

Exercise: A Christmas Fantasy
The following fantasy exercise will give you a clearer idea of what you are really looking for in Christmas. When you are through reading these instructions, close you eyes and imagine Christmas two years from now. We have chosen this length of time because it’s far enough away to give you some distance from your current celebration, but not so far away that a lot of your circumstances will have changed.

When you are ready to begin, choose a quiet location where you won’t be interrupted for ten or fifteen minutes. Imagine any kind of Christmas you wish as long as it is deeply satisfying. You can confine your fantasy to Christmas proper, or include the whole season. It may be very much like you present celebration or entirely different. You can magically include your favorite friends and relatives and make them behave any way you wish. You can celebrate in any setting. You don’t have to keep a single traditional Christmas activity, or you can keep them all. This will be Christmas the way you have always wanted it to be.

As you begin to fantasize, there will probably be a jumble of possibilities competing for your attention. If you find yourself with multiple fantasies, keep returning to the ideas that make you feel most satisfied.

Once you have settled on a particular fantasy, stick with it until you have enriched it with lots of details. Imagine the physical setting, the activities, how you are feeling, and how other people are feeling. What kind of food is there? How was it made? Are there any gifts? What are they like?

When you have completed your fantasy, write it down on a separate sheet (or sheets) of paper. Feel free to elaborate as you write. Then answer these questions:

1. Of all the ways your fantasy was different from your usual celebration, which difference was most satisfying to you?
2. Which parts (if any) of your fantasy would be most feasible to actually do next Christmas?

The Christmas Pledge

Believing in the beauty and simplicity of Christmas, I commit myself to the following:

1. To remember those people who truly need my gifts
2. To express my love for family and friends in more direct ways than presents
3. To rededicate myself to the spiritual growth of my family
4. To examine my holiday activities in light of the true spirit of Christmas
5. To initiate one act of peacemaking within my circle of family and friends

The material presented here was taken from the book Unplug The Christmas Machine by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli published by William Morrow and Company, Inc.

How to have the Christmas you’ve always wanted – part 7

The Gift of Joy

What is it that people want from Christmas? They dream of white Christmases. They want to be home for Christmas if only in their dreams. They dream of walking in winter wonderlands and shopping surrounded by happy shoppers listening to silver bells. But is that really what they want? No. What people really want is a sense of fulfillment, joy, and worth; they want the gift of joy.

How can you get that elusive gift of joy? You must identify what you feel is most important about Christmas. Identify what you value most about Christmas.

Doing this will involve making choices, sometimes between two equally good things. “Should I direct the church Christmas program or bake cookies with the kids to give away as Christmas gifts?” Both are good things to do. The values that you’ve identified will help you make that decision.

Why do I have to identify these values? Can’t I just wing it? When you identify your values ahead of time you are resolving the issues ahead of time. It is easier to make your decisions because you’ve already decided what’s most important to you. Don’t resolve the issues ahead of time and you may end up doing nothing and regretting it later.

Identifying what’s most important to you also keeps you from spending all your time on activities and projects that aren’t right for you. If you’re not musically gifted you may not want to join a Christmas choir. On the other hand if you are really good at crafts you may want to make your gifts this Christmas.

Identifying what’s most important to you and what your values are will help you get that sense of fulfillment, joy, and worth you’re looking for this Christmas. The following exercise will help you identify what’s most important to you at Christmas.

Exercise: What Are You Celebrating?
In general, people ask Christmas to do too many things for them. They want it to strengthen their family bonds, give their spirits a lift in the dark days of winter, stimulate their compassion and generosity, help them keep tabs on far-flung friends, confirm their deepest religious beliefs, show off their skills as hosts and hostesses, establish their rank in the social order . . . the list goes on and on. No one celebration can do it all.

This values-clarification exercise will help you decide which parts of Christmas are most deserving of your efforts. Once you have decided that, you will be able to plan a celebration that is in harmony with your deepest beliefs and expressive of who you are as an individual.

To complete the exercise, read through the following ten value statements below, cross off those that have no importance to you, and add any equally important ones that we have not included. Then decide which of the remaining values is most important to you. Put a 1 beside the sentence. Then find the one that is next important to you and put a 2 beside it. Continue in this manner until each statement has been assigned a different number. Even a value that has a low priority can still be important to you. Remember: 1 is highest and 10 is lowest.

Christmas is a time to be a peacemaker, within my family and the world at large.
Christmas is a time to enjoy being with my immediate family.
Christmas is a time to create a beautiful home environment.
Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Christmas is a time to exchange gifts with my family and friends.
Christmas is a time for parties, entertaining, and visits with friends.
Christmas is a time to help those who are less fortunate.
Christmas is a time to strengthen bonds with my relatives.
Christmas is a time to strengthen my church community.
Christmas is a time to take a few days off from work and have a good time.

The Christmas Pledge

Believing in the beauty and simplicity of Christmas, I commit myself to the following:

1. To remember those people who truly need my gifts
2. To express my love for family and friends in more direct ways than presents
3. To rededicate myself to the spiritual growth of my family
4. To examine my holiday activities in light of the true spirit of Christmas
5. To initiate one act of peacemaking within my circle of family and friends

The material presented here was taken from the book Unplug The Christmas Machine by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli published by William Morrow and Company, Inc.