It’s that time of year again. The Christmas trees are going up, the lights twinkling, and the neighborhood is filling up with the warm scents of vanilla, cinnamon and pine. The festive season has arrived.
I’ve pulled out the boxes, so many memories. It is quiet this year, solemn, something is different. This year, there’s a different energy hanging in the air—an invisible force that beckons memories forward and gratitude into the heart as I think, “Just one more ornament.”
This year, decorating the tree feels like a spiritual experience. It is not merely about placing fragile or shiny or homemade or store-bought objects on bare branches. No, decorating this year feels like it’s a metaphor for life itself.
The tree, in all its glorious, needle-pricked potential, is like my own life. I start with the tree, a simple, albeit robust frame, and add a few modest decorations, the lights, maybe some tinsel or not. I think it is done.
Then, as the season progresses, I begin to feel an inexplicable urge to add “just one more.”
Now, here’s where things get tricky. In the world of ornaments, one more can be both a blessing and a curse. That last one seems harmless at first. I hang it with a smile, thinking, “Ah, this is the one that will complete the tree. It’s perfect.” But as I step back to admire the tree, my gaze drifts upward, and my heart skips a beat. “Oh no, there’s a bare patch,” I think out loud. “Such a sad, lonely branch. It’s missing the touch of something beautiful, meaningful, a memory.”
Thus begins the eternal quest for that elusive final ornament. Perhaps it’s a shiny star, a delicate glass bird, or—dare I say it—a disco ball. 😊 After all, isn’t the holiday season a time for excess? A time to overindulge in the glitter and glam, the tinsel and the twirl of festive flair?
I take a step back for a moment, to reflect. “Is there a lesson hidden in this madness of decoration?”
Every ornament I’ve added is a symbol, a blessing, a story, a prayer. That old, mismatched one from last year, a reminder of family, of times spent together laughing, arguing, and making memories.
The homemade “plaster” angel, which looks like it could use some therapy, represents the beauty of imperfection and how life isn’t about achieving perfection, but accepting what is in all its beauty. And that glittery, almost obnoxiously shiny bauble from the dollar store… well, that’s the reminder that happiness sometimes comes from the most unexpected of places and doesn’t’ have to cost a bunch, to be priceless.
Each ornament, as it’s added to the tree, holds its own significance for me. It is a loving act of my own expression. A little reminder that I am a piece of a larger, more intricate design.
My tree itself becomes a metaphor for my life and the interconnectedness I feel for it all: one more ornament makes the whole thing just a bit more complete.
What I have come to realize is that “community connections, family ties, individual heartstrings are only “one” when I embrace them with the understanding that there’s always space for a little more… more love, more grace, and yes, maybe even a little more glitter.
Of course, I’d be lying if I said that at least once during this process, I didn’t find myself asking, “How many is enough?”
The answer, I’ve discovered, lies somewhere between “just one more” and “okay, maybe one more after that.” And in that space, between restraint and indulgence, is the true spirit of this season.
At the end of the day, whether your tree is a minimalist masterpiece or a chaotic explosion of festive charm, the beauty isn’t in the number of ornaments you hang, but in the joy they bring to you and everyone greeted by your creation.
So, yes, add one more ornament, if it makes you smile. After all, isn’t the spirit of the holidays about embracing the imperfections and celebrating the joy of being, and the presence of the Oneness that connects us all?
And who knows? Maybe next year, I’ll even add one more.
To your glorious tree, be it like Peanuts or Macy’s, let it reflect your love out into the world.
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💥 REGISTRATION is OPEN for Thrive in ’25 and this year I have decided, for a couple of reasons, to begin the journey at the beginning of the year rather than at the end of this year. One, I would love for you to dive deep into the reason for this season and the joy it can bring to you and you give to others.
Second, the orthopedist has put his foot down and says no more waiting on that right knee replacement so I will be out of commission for a couple of weeks in December. It’s all good. We will have our first call on Jan 4 to jumpstart the year. As soon as you register, you will get “the rest of the story” and can begin your journey into a thriving new year.
Click here to register, let the fun begin!
And remember, the first ten to register, will receive a copy of my newly released Sacred Wisdom Belief Journal, The Power of Gratitude. This journal invites you to reflect on life’s blessings, embrace personal growth, and unlock the joy, resilience, and abundance that gratitude brings. Through thoughtful prompts, empowering affirmations, and uplifting quotes, you’ll create a sacred space to deepen your connection to yourself and the world around you.