image via CreativeCommons.org
Growing up, we opened our stockings on Christmas Eve. I don’t know if it was my parents’ way of appeasing us so we’d got to church and not be hellions, but the Christmas Eve stocking strategy worked for years! One thing that was really neat is that we all got one really great gift in our stocking. Not that everything else wasn’t great, but it was usually candy and super-small gifts versus the one incredible stocking gift that would keep us occupied and screeching with delight until the next morning.
So what’s in your stocking this year? Perhaps you don’t celebrate Christmas – whatever your tradition and culture is for this time of year, I encourage you to think about the smaller things that make up the goodness of this holiday season. It doesn’t have to be grand gestures or the most expensive item on the shelf to have an impact on someone’s life. I sat down and thought about my stocking stuffers – those little things I would trade for the world. Maybe mine will inspire you to complete your action task for today: making a list of the stocking stuffers that illuminate your life.
My family: My husband “gets” me. My daughters laugh with me. Priceless, they are.
My “me”: Each year I get better. I make new mistakes. And I convince myself that ones I repeat are for good reason.
Traffic: I get some of my best thinking done in traffic, so I’m grateful it’s in my stocking, as it’s where great ideas come to light.
Power outages: Yes, it’s a stocking gift! I forget how plugged-in I am and for how many hours each day. When the plugs don’t work, I find other ways to be productive. A gift, really.
What’s in your stocking? I can’t wait to hear!
