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Homemade Holiday Gifts
Blueberry Jam with Home Grown Blueberries
Tea Towels Hand Stamped with Blueberry Design
using a stamp that daughter designed and carved |
My goal in 2025 was to thrive each month. To that end, here's my review of December, which, as many of you know, has had many ups and downs:
Spiritual:
The highlight in the spiritual aspects of my life was the annual almsgiving. I had booked the date with the Temple monks in November. In December, I confirmed the date with them and invited family and friends to participate. Daughter and I planned the menu and we did a couple of trips to the Sri Lankan grocery store to buy the items I wanted to offer at the almsgiving. Then, since my daughter didn't want me to over-tire myself with the preparations closer to the date, I cooked what I could ahead of time and froze them. But, as always, there was plenty to do on the day before and the morning of the almsgiving which took place on December 20. I consider the spiritual part of my life to have thrived in December.
Daughter:
In December, daughter and I spent a lot of time together. Daughter accompanied me when I went to various medical appointments, spoiled me with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies when I expressed a wish for cookies and several holiday gifts. We spent some time working on crafts together, she helped me with various projects, and encouraged me. We supported and comforted each other through some difficult days, just before and after our much loved Dancer had to be euthanized. We had some long, difficult conversations, moments of laughter, some tears, and lots and lots of hugs. I'm not sure if it is even possible, as w've always been quite close, but, I'd say we've grown even closer, this month.
I can honestly say that my relationship with my daughter thrived in December and it continues to thrive.
Health & Well Being:
In December, I had an appointment with my primary care physician (who took me off two medications based on lab test results and several pressure readings; except that didn't quite work out, as we found out, later!), an appointment with the dental hygienist (which completed that round of deep cleaning), an appointment with the ophthalmologist (who pulled out a cat hair from my eye, again!), took my flu vaccine, and did some lab tests prior to an upcoming doctor's appointment (scheduled for the first full week in January). I started out the month in relatively good health, but, I've had some blood pressure issues after being taken off one medication, but, that is being addressed and monitored.
I thought my health was starting to thrive, but, maybe not. This will be my focus in 2026.
Family, Friends, & Community:
Social interactions in December included exchanging phone calls, texts, emails, and holiday greetings. There were more in-person interactions, too, including an almsgiving to the community of monks, a couple of visits with friend R, visiting cousin V twice, celebrating Christmas at the home of our friends, and daughter's friends coming over for a holiday pancake breakfast.
I'd say that I thrived where family, friends, and community were concerned in December.
Finances:
I was able to keep my finances maintained in December. I've lived well within my retirement income and kept to my budget, over all. I think I am managing well where finances are concerned.
Time Management:
Time management continues to be a work in progress! I start out thinking I've plenty of time until, suddenly, I don't have enough time! This needs to change! However, the important things got done on time and I will take that as a success.
I think I coped more than I thrived!
Leisure/Hobbies/Crafting:
December leisure/hobbies/crafting activities included card making, gift making, gardening, and knitting. I made a batch of blueberry jam to give as holiday gifts and daughter and I hand stamped a design of blueberries and leaves on a set of kitchen towels with fabric paints and stamps that my daughter created. I believe that I thrived in this area of my life.
House:
In December, the house was tidied and cleaned as we prepared for the almsgiving, the holidays, and daughter's friends getting together. We put up the Christmas tree, but, it remained mostly undecorated (except for the lights) and I barely decorated the house as daughter didn't feel like decorating (the up side to that is undecorating won't take long!)
In December, I paid for another year of home insurance and earthquake insurance. I am grateful for having my home.
Garden:
The garden continued to thrive in December. Daughter's raised beds are doing very well and we've been picking greens from it for salads and I picked tangerines from the garden for the almsgiving.
December started out as a good month. I was looking forward to the almsgiving, we were both looking forward to the holidays, and daughter was looking forward to celebrating with her friends. And then, on the 10th of December, our much loved Dancer kitty had to be euthanized. He was 17+ years old and going into kidney failure. We had been anticipating it, but, still, it was a difficult decision and daughter, especially, felt it. He was her kitty even though he stayed with me while she was in Berkeley. His death dimmed some of the joy and anticipation of this time of the year as we mourned him. Then, I experienced health issues (daughter calls is a health scare) with spiking blood pressure and that has further heightened our awareness of various aspects of our lives.
My goal in 2025 was to thrive. Looking back, I think I managed to mostly thrive during the year. Moving forward, I think I need to scale back and focus on certain aspects of my life and focus mostly on my health and wellbeing. I am not quite sure how I will keep track of that on the blog due to privacy concerns, but, I might be able to manage a brief monthly review.
Thank you for reading these monthly reviews of my attempts to lead a more balanced life and to thrive. I have appreciated your thoughtful comments on my monthly posts.
I'm wishing you all the best in all the various areas of importance in your lives in 2026.
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| Dancer: The Last Photo; 12/10/25 |
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