It’s Christmas time again. You’re running around the shops like it’s the final mile in a marathon, trying to throw in the trolley something for your mother in law’s boyfriend that you hope you didn’t buy him last year. The Christmas carols sound like the high-pressure music they play at the end of a gameshow, and if one more pensioner bumps into you while reaching for the cold meat, you won’t be held responsible for your actions. This is everyone’s experience at this pointy end of the year.

It’s funny that the culmination of a years worth of work, ends with a frenzy of shopping, purchasing and more hard work.

This year, I would like to put forward an idea for something a little bit different. I know you still have to purchase presents for those important loved ones, you still have to provide a meal for all of your visitors on the big day, but this year I want us to do something different – I want us to THINK.

Be aware, be present, be mindful and be thankful.

This is not a preachy kind of post, it is a chance to be aware of how much we have and ask ourselves, how much do we really need? This Christmas, THINK about what your family truly needs when you are gift giving. Are you just buying an extra present because there doesn’t look enough under the tree? Are you just buying them something because you feel you have to? We have all received gifts at some point that we say thank you for, but know they will be hidden in a cupboard for years. This year, don’t buy a gift card just to give someone money because you can’t think of a gift.

Your relationship is the gift!

Hold them close, tell them how much they mean to you and what you’ve loved about the year you’ve experienced together. Make some time to sit with your family without using your phone. Make a connection with them and enjoy the way that just been together feels. Play board games or just take a walk around your neighbourhood. Visit your neighbours and spread goodwill in the community. There are so many people around the world with so little, please be mindful when you purchase groceries. A big meal on Christmas is a great tradition and one that is enjoyed by all, but should there be so much leftover and thrown out over the coming days? All I ask is that you THINK when purchasing your food and not waste food you don’t need. We are all being advertised to in such a way that over indulgence has become indicative of the season, and saying no to anything seems almost impossible. I can guarantee a day with your family sitting around, really connecting, without the demands of phones and social media would mean much more then a day of excess food and gifts. If you have an opportunity to donate, do so. No matter how big or small your donations are, it’s a way of recognising how lucky we are and that we have enough. There are so many charities out there that cater for all sorts of needs in the global community. If you have children, suggest they purchase a small gift for another child their age who will not be so lucky this Christmas. There are so many places in Our area that will hand out these gifts on your behalf to needy families. Go global. THINK about the world we live in, not just our small part of it. You can purchase a prosthetic leg for a landmine victim in Cambodia or purchase a goat, a pig or a chicken for a small family in Africa. Provide clean drinking water to people who desperately need it, donate to the conservation of your favourite animal, or, if your family has unfortunately been affected by an illness this year, donate to the corresponding charity to help find a cure. I want you to enjoy your Christmas. I want you to have the meals and the gifts that your family deserve.

All this post is trying to do is make you THINK. We are all global citizens and there is so much going on in this world right now that affects us all.

Christmas is an amazing time to celebrate our love for one another. This year let’s just engage our brains before we go down the road of over indulgence and wastefulness. You don’t need to slave all day in the kitchen to provide a massive meal for your family, ease up on what you purchase and remember that presence is way more important than presents.

Happy Holidays.