As I type this, I'm listening to the soundtrack of "Hamilton" (good stuff!) and gazing out the window at a warm, sunny day. Snowless in December is not how I remember the last month of the year from decades past. (Insert a wistful, treehugger-ish sigh here.)
Anyway: The first of December. I think I can already hear the screeching of shopping cart wheels.
I read something the other day from Artifact Uprising that resonated with me: "What if we gave fewer gifts that mattered more?"
Well, the grammar is a bit clunky (almost fooling us into thinking they mean "don't give too many gifts that matter"), but you get the gist. Instead of just filling up your cart this gift-giving season, hurriedly checking names off your list in a mad dash to the holiday finish line, why not choose just a few gifts that actually mean something? Things that won't be discarded or forgotten. Things that are not just things, but more like...feelings.
What represents you that you can give? What is the one thing your loved ones would treasure?
Make no mistake: It won't make your gift-giving list any easier. You'll have to actually think about what you'd like to give, and "Time for Thinking" has lost a lot of its allure in this multi-tasking age.
But, if you're up to the challenge, here are a few posts on the topic of giving gifts in a more meaningful way (and yes, one of them was written by Yours Truly):
And finally, if you know me "In Real Life", you know that I cringe at anything sales-y, but I'd be a clueless dolt if I didn't mention that you could always give someone you love one of my photography e-courses. It doesn't take up any room on the kitchen counter and the skills learned will last for life. A brand-new online course for 2017 will be announced VERY soon, so if you're not yet on my "Writing with Light" subscriber list, do get yourself signed up lickety-split so you can get the first word and the discount. (Sign-up is below.)
Happy Weekend to you, friends--and may it be a mall-free one!
Hello and happiest holiday wishes to you, whatever you choose to celebrate!
In the bustling midst of the season, I find myself repeatedly seeking out breathing room, space to be alone, far from the crowds. (I'm listening to Gregorian chants as I type this--very, very soothing.) I'm not a shopper, so having to pick out thoughtful gifts in hot, crowded stores sets me on edge. Could you use a little break from the holiday hustle, too? If so, here are some lovely little things that made me smile this week. Enjoy...and exhale...
P.S. I got LOTS of questions about my new monthly e-letter, Joyful Scoop, that I mentioned in the previous post. YES, you will need to subscribe to get it, even if you're already subscribed to this Joyfully Green weekly blog. It's a different thing--mainly, it's the way to get exclusive discounts on my photography e-courses, one of which will open for registration VERY soon, so if that interests you, sign up for the Joyful Scoop e-letter by clicking here. (No spam, EVER. I promise. Just e-course discounts, inspirational stuff, and eye candy.)
I just got back from a lovely ski weekend in Great Barrington, MA with my family. (Well, to be technical, my husband and daughter went skiing, my son went snowboarding, and I went photographing!) While I'd love to show you some pictures from the ski trip, I thought you might like a little break from all of the snow and ice lately...to take a little vicarious vacation to Hawaii!
Aside from a couple of posts featuring the work of my photography students, I've featured other photographers here only twicebefore. But I'm making an exception again, for one of my nearest and dearest friends, Michael Graziano, whom I've known since we were 16 years old, when we met at a summer arts program for high school students at Wesleyan University.
Michael and I are birds of a feather. We both grew up in Connecticut; we both lived in New York City for many years, where we were both in creative fields; and we're both crazy about the music of Neil Finn and Liam Finn (but oddly, not Tim Finn). He's one of those friends that no matter how much time passes between get-togethers, we start right up where we left off. (I love that kind of friendship, don't you?)
For the past twenty years, Michael worked at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and as its Producing Director, he helped raise millions of dollars for its charitable efforts. Last August, he decided to step down from his high-profile job and step out into the Great Unknown. I've been thoroughly enjoying his Facebook updates (let's be honest: how many friends can you say that about?), and I'm betting you'll enjoy this armchair trip, too.
The following quotes are Michael's updates from Facebook, and all of the photographs in this post are his, taken with his iPhone (all used with his permission, of course!).
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September 23, 2014: "An adventure begins this week. I am off to live in Hawaii for 4 months, volunteering at Kalani retreat on the Big Island. I'll be living in a tent, which I bought from an Italian gal who is leaving for Costa Rica. I am bringing few possessions--clothes, some good books, a journal, my good-luck necklace that I bought in Amsterdam when I was 20 years old. I will be living in the shadow of the Kilauea volcano, nature's reminder of its own awesome power. How will I be touched, humbled and changed by dangerous Pele, the ancient Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes?"
October 15, 2014: "I am making friends with some new members of the animal kingdom here in Hawaii such as this gecko. There are also the feral cats that live on the property and are very sweet. Less friendly are the wild pigs that roam around my tent at night but they scare easily. I am trying to avoid the dreaded fire ants which pack quite a sting. Sea turtles can be seen in the ocean nearby but so far they have only poked their heads and shells out of the water and not ventured onto the land. So many living things to encounter!"
October 26, 2014: "The lava approaches. We shall see what Madame Pele has in store for us this week. The closest town may have to evacuate but we are not currently in the lava path. It will likely cross the highway, though, so we will be cut off from civilization as new roads are made. The lava changes its path and rate of flow all the time so nothing is certain."
November 15, 2014: "This guy has been living in the shower stall for a few days now. Seems to be friendly so far."
December 10, 2014: "When I arrived in Puna in October, it was hot, humid and rained every day. Now that we are in the 'rainy season' of December, it is glorious with the sun shining, lower humidity, cooler nights and no rain for days. Perfect holiday weather."
December 24, 2014: "These palm trees looked to me like snowflakes against the sky. Happy Christmas Eve from Hawaii!"
January 12, 2015: "Night falls over my tent."
January 13, 2015: "Cats. There must be close to 100 feral cats on property, fed by animal-loving volunteers and whatever they can find in the jungle. These cats act like dogs, begging for food or attention. This is Wilbur."
January 17, 2015: "Sunset at Mauna Kea into the clouds at almost 14,000 feet."
January 18, 2015: "Goodbye Kalani! I depart today after 3 and a half months filled with laughter, challenge and creativity. I shaved off my beard and hair yesterday in prep for the next leg of the trip. Time for new growth. I'll be exploring the islands for the rest of the month and head to New Zealand in February. Aloha Kalani friends!"
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Safe travels, Michael, and thanks for letting me share a little part of your Hawaiian adventure here! I hope New Zealand is EVEN BETTER! xox Joy
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I now return you to your regularly scheduled weather. (How GORGEOUS were those pics?!)
I hope your holiday season has been warm and wonderful so far! (Mine has involved too many cookies!) We have a caravan of relatives on the way to stay with us through the new year. Eleven of us under one roof--luckily, we all genuinely like each other! I want to give them the love and attention they deserve during their stay, so this is the last time I'll be writing to you in 2014.
I just participated in Susannah Conway's "Find Your Word." (So much fun!) She led us through five days of creatively pinpointing the one thing we most want to focus our efforts on during the year ahead. On Day 4, it finally sunk in that I needed TWO words. One that focuses inward -- contemplate -- and one that focuses outward -- radiate. And because I'm visually driven, I needed to translate my words into pictures.
For contemplate, I chose a picture of the woods behind our house because I contemplate best when I'm simply looking out at the woods, letting my thoughts wander wherever they may. I keep a sketchbook in hand to jot down whatever comes to me--pictures, words, dreams, and a fair share of nonsense. It's important for me to take time to be mindful each day, instead of rushing from one thing to the next.
For radiate, I chose a picture of ice on branches, ice being melted by the morning sun. I like the idea of light and warmth, and embodying both, sending the positive energy outwards.
So, here's my end-of-the-year wish for you: I hope that you find yourword for the year ahead, something to ground you and guide you, a little bit of magic that will lift you up and let your soul sing its sweetest note. Happy, happy, happy 2015!
I had something already written and scheduled to post today, about how candles and holidays fit together so perfectly. About how candles make our nights instantly festive. About the magic that happens when you strike a match and fill the darkness with light. It ended with my wishes for your holiday season (whatever you celebrate) to be filled with light, love, warmth, wonder, and peace. (I still wish that for you, by the way.)
But then I got the sad and shocking news that my dear friend Dale's husband, Mick, had passed away tonight--a vibrant and still-young man, deeply loved by his wife and sons. The death of a family member is never easy, but seems especially harsh right before a holiday. It felt altogether wrong for me to go with the original post I'd intended for today.
So I lit two candles, one for Dale and one for Mick.
Wishing them both light, love, warmth, wonder, and most of all, peace.
My goodness, the long stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve is a slippery slope of sinfully scrumptious food, isn't it? (That's one of my favorite desserts EVER, pictured above: my mother-in-law's pumpkin flan.) With the holidays potentially piling on the pounds, I thought this might be just the right time for another round-up of healthy food recipes. Well, not all of them are technically "100% healthy", but they're all healthier versions of holiday treats. Ready for some good food for good times? Dig in!
It's a challenge to come up with gifts for Hanukkah when (1) we're already tripping over the kids' overloaded toy supply and (2) we--the parents--don't want any more stuff for ourselves.Giving experiences has become one of our favorite ways to celebrate. But sometimes, you can combine a fun experience with choosing something small (and not pricey) to take home with you.
Case in point: Last Sunday, we combined something that we (our family of four) all love--books--with someplace we all love to visit--Strand Books in New York City. I've written about it before, but it's hard to capture the essence of the Strand in photos because it's just soooooo big and sprawling--four floors of books (most of them secondhand, many out-of-print or rare) taking up a full city block. Yet it's somehow cozy at the same time, as you blissfully meander around the chock-full stacks with everybody else who loves books just as much. It's our collective Happy Place, for sure.
I chose a book that's technically for children but I love it nonetheless: Maps by Aleksandra and Daniel Mizielinska. (I love a book that teaches me a hundred new things on every page.) That's a book I can put on the family room coffee table for everybody to pick up from time to time and devour.
After a quick bite and drink across the street, my husband suggested we walk down to Washington Square. I'm so glad he did (and not just because I love the Henry James book!). The arch was all lit up, framing the big Christmas tree under it. It was already almost impossibly festive, and then a big group of joggers (all wearing Santa hats) launched into "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" to take it right over the top. Even though we don't celebrate Christmas, the sparkling city filled with music and lights was a beauty to behold.
At home, we hid our Strand books away until the first night of Hanukkah (yesterday). It was the perfect day in the city together, and we all agreed it'll be our new holiday tradition.
How 'bout you? Do you have a favorite holiday tradition? Let's hear it--I'm all ears!
'Tis the season to be...crazy? I don't think so!And neither do the following authors of these wonderful posts that will help put your holiday season back into perspective:
From Linda at Rockside Reflections:On Doing Things That Delight. (Because the best recipe for a happy holiday is "Do more of what you love and less of what you hate.")
From Raymund at Minimalist on Purpose:7 Simple Ways to Find Focus Every Day. (Because the holidays are a time when we try to focus on waaaaay too much at once, instead of focusing on the few things that really, truly matter.)
What's YOUR strategy for a stress-free holiday season? Or are you struggling to keep it together? Do tell in the comments section below--I'm all ears!
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Skip holiday mall madness with these joyful gift ideas...
I've often written here about how I don't like shopping anymore, so you won't catch me busting down any doors in the wee hours of Black Friday. But, let's face it, I'm still going to get the kids a few gifts for Hanukkah. They're young (7 and 10) and wouldn't exactly appreciate a lecture on the pitfalls of consumerism!
Still, for me, there are plenty of ways to spread the joy (no pun intended) without compromising how I feel about buying a bunch of meaningless stuff in a jam-packed mall. So, here are a few of my ideas for the gift-giving season--and they're not just for kids' gifts:
Figure out beforehand what you're going to give to whom, and don't get suckered in to impulse purchases at the check-out. Gifts are more special when you put a little thought into them, instead of just grabbing random stuff that could be given to anybody.
Encourage a budding interest or talent. When I was growing up, I pivoted between wanting to be a writer, a photographer, and an artist, so my family gave me gifts like a Kodak Pocket Instamatic, art supplies, and (much later) the annual Writer's Market. Those gifts literally led me to where I am today. (How many gifts can you say THAT about?!)
Stocking-stuffers often add up to a lot of meaningless, poorly made stuff. Resist the urge to fill up on junk from the dollar store.
Frame some sentimental photographs for gifts. Yes, I know I'm biased because I'm a photographer! But I still think old family photos make some of the most beautiful and meaningful gifts.
Let your kids choose a charity. My children always fight over which one of them gets to push elevator buttons. When I asked them why, my son said, "Because this is one area where we kids get to control something!" (Insightful, don't you think?) So, give your children some charity catalogs and let them decide on a donation from your family. My children love Heifer International because they can read about how different farm animals contribute to helping poverty-stricken villages. (Tip: Set a dollar limit on the charity gift beforehand, so they'll know which items to rule out.)
Give music. Let the kids choose a certain number of songs to buy on iTunes. (A no-clutter gift, and again, they'll have fun making the decisions.)
Opt for lessons. My daughter asked if she could pleeeeeeease have piano lessons for one of her Hanukkah gifts. (With pleasure!) When you give your friends or family the gift of a new skill, one they can enjoy for many years ahead, they will always remember that you were the one who started them along the path.
Your full attention and affection is the most valuable gift. So, give experiences instead of things.
How 'bout you? Have you ever participated in the mall madness on Black Friday? Got any good ideas for meaningful holiday gifts? Let's hear it in the comments section below--I'm all ears!
Start off the new year with a new skill: My photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You" will be running again this January! Save $15 with the Early Bird Discount if you enroll before Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 11:59 pm EST. (If giving the course as a gift, please let me know the name and email of the student in the PayPal comment section at checkout.)Click here for details and registration.
I don't want to alarm you, but Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away! (How did THAT happen?!) Since I'm always looking for creative ideas to bring the beauty of nature indoors, I found an abundance of GORGEOUS suggestions for Turkey Day. Even better, they're so easy, even I can do them without feeling like a total turkey (sorry, couldn't resist!). Are you ready for some crafty inspirations featuring Mother Nature? Here you go!
From Passionate Penny Pincher (I avoid all dollar stores like the plague--cheap junk poorly made in China under bad conditions--but I'm totally doing this popcorn idea with candle-holders I already own!): $6 Decorating
