Christmas 12 Months a Year

You may think I am a Scrooge for saying this, but I don’t care for the hustle and bustle of Christmas. It feels so contrived, so commercial. Watching people frantically scurrying about, buying people gifts - partly out of obligation, partly because they are trying to desperately feel the Spirit of Christmas– it all makes me nervous (nervous for them). I can feel their stress and their anxiety under their self-inflicted time crunch. People spend way too much money, for what? Do they think buying a gift brings joy to the receiver, or is it because buying a gift brings joy to them? I imagine a lot of these people are thinking, “Now…what in the world am I going to buy for Betty?” I think that if you don’t know what Betty likes you shouldn’t be buying a gift for Betty. I’ve never been one to understand this tradition. This may sound like a contradiction, but, I am now going to tell you how I became a great gift giver:

It happened in the month of December of my 6th grade year. We lived in Durango, Colorado, and it was a cold and snowy afternoon. I was riding home from school in our Ford Bronco with my step-mom, Donna. She pulled into a lumber yard and told me she needed to see if they had a long, slender box she could have. I waited in the car as she set out to find this odd-shaped box. She returned a few minutes later with the box in hand, and I could sense her excitement! I could see a twinkle in her eye and a bounce in her step, not knowing exactly why. On the ride home she told me she bought my Dad a new shotgun as a Christmas gift, and that this box would help her disguise it and wrap it beautifully. I felt so special knowing the surprise she had planned, and I immediately joined in her excitement and held onto it for three long weeks until Christmas day.

Fast forward to Christmas morning, the moment my Dad was opening the long, slender box. As he started to unwrap his gift, Donna and I looked at each other and smiled, our eyes big with anticipation…we could hardly contain ourselves. I was so excited to see my Dad’s joy I couldn’t stand it! As he was opening the box and clearly struggling to get the shotgun out he said, “Deanna, come on over here and give me a hand!” I instantly jumped to my feet, shouting uncontrollably, “I know what it is, I know what it is!” I grabbed the bottom of the box and pulled with all my might. And that’s when it happened…I got the surprise of my life…a life changing experience no doubt. Inside the box was not a shotgun for my Dad, but a new pair of Rosignal snow skis for me!!!!

The skis were unbelievable, and such a wonderful present, but that gift was not what stayed with me all these years. At that moment I realized how much planning and time and energy and thought and research and love and money my Dad and Donna put into this gift. All for me! I felt so loved…but on the flipside, I got to experience the gift of giving through Donna’s eyes. I saw how truly excited she got to find the right box. I saw the look in her eyes as she talked about the shotgun, I saw her wrapping the box with love and generosity and sweet anticipation of bringing me joy. She taught me the true meaning of “It’s better to give than to receive”. She also taught me how to truly give a gift to someone using all of your senses and all of your heart and soul.

Since then, my Christmas lasts 12 months a year. I don’t hustle and bustle during the holidays wondering what to buy for Great Aunt Margaret. I do, however, plan and think and put all my love and energy into the people I put on my Christmas list. Also, throughout the year, if I happened to stumble upon something in my daily travels that I know my sister Gina would just love, I buy it and send it to her. This spontaneous gift giving is done because I am feeling love and gratitude and joy for that person, not because I feel obligated to buy a gift. It makes me feel super great and generous and it sure makes the person receiving my little goodie extra special to be getting a gift “just because”. That kind of gift giving feels genuine to me. I kind of liken it to getting flowers for no special occasion instead of on Valentine’s Day…it just seems more thoughtful and special instead of contrived and commercial. So…you may call me a Scrooge, but I am really just a great gift giver!

Transition

Well...here it is...my new logo! My wonderful "Web Guy" and I have been working on this for some time. We think it perfectly portrays "Magnetic Expressions" in that this girl is fun and flirty. She knows what she wants, and she knows how to have a good time. She likes the finer things in life and is not afraid to pay for quality. She loves to give and use quality personal gifts! She is smart and hip and affluent...who wouldn't want to be like her!?!

The new web site makeover is to come shortly. I am so excited, as it will have the same feel as the logo while showing all my new products: Refrigerator magnets, traditional wine glass charms, MAGNETIC glass charms (no stem required!), dog collar charms, sterling silver bookmarks, MAGNETIC badges (no more stick pins through your clothing!), zipper pulls, and cell phone straps!

Transition is sometimes bittersweet: We are saddened to leave the old and excited to welcome in the new. This new logo and web site are a transition for me and Magnetic Expressions. I am leaving the humble beginnings of a new home-based business and eagerly bringing in the new image of my flourishing creations! Business is booming and I finally have a logo (and soon a web site) that reflects that success!

Saturday Morning Live

One of my favorite memories from childhood is waking up on a Saturday morning to the smell of eggs scrambling and homemade waffles hot off the iron. In the distance, my ears would hear the comforting sound of John Denver blaring from the cassette deck (I’m dating myself now). My Dad had a sweet way of stimulating all of our senses and creating lasting memories in the process. My three siblings and I often reflect on those fun filled Saturday mornings.

On any of these typical Saturday mornings, I would leisurely wake up and saunter to the kitchen where my mouth would immediately begin to salivate and my nose would shift into overdrive. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, I would focus on my crazy, fun-loving Dad dancing around the island making his entire audience laugh. Sometimes we would sit down and inhale our breakfast while watching the entertainment, and other times we would join in on all the excitement. My Dad would grab the child who was closest to him, and shimmy and twirl and swoop, and hold...until we were dizzy with laughter. Many of the crazy made-up dances are still happily etched in my memory. Music, dancing, laughter, and food – what a wonderful way to start the day!

I have carried on that family tradition with my kids. My girls love to wake up naturally and race to the kitchen to find me shaking my thing and whipping up something extra-Saturday-morning-special for breakfast. Saturday mornings have such a fun and relaxing feel to them compared to the hustle and bustle of a school morning. I can take the extra time to make pink homemade pancakes and dance around the island to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”. The best part of this ritual is that I’m not in this alone. It’s so fun seeing my girls, all of them, jumping right in…making their own memories and carrying on our fun and wacky family tradition! When I yell, "Shake it, girls!"...the frenzy begins! Music, dancing, laughter, and food – what a wonderful way to start the day!

Powerful Words

A few days ago I received a really super-over-the-top-encouraging greeting card from my hubby. Everything was going right in my life, so it wasn’t a card that I “needed” to pick me up or help me get through a tough time…and that made it much more meaningful to me. It’s like getting flowers “just because” vs. getting flowers on Valentine’s Day. It was totally unexpected, out of the blue, and very heart-warming.

I have since read his written words over and over again…and each time I read them or reflect on them I feel the same gush of love, encouragement, confidence, and pride. I don’t tell you this to gloat or so that you’ll think more highly of my man. I tell you this to remind you how powerful our words are, both written and spoken. The after affects of his kind and loving words lifted my spirits, put a bounce in my walk, and made me feel like a Rock Star!

Our words can easily build someone up or tear someone down. Keeping in mind how powerful words are and how they can affect someone’s whole mood, day, week, and even life…it only seems right to choose our words wisely. Whether I am speaking to my kids, the grumpy waitress who is having a bad day or the President of The United States…I will choose and use words so that people who interact with me will leave feeling better because of it.

Try it…you’ll make someone feel great, and you’ll feel great also!

Where It All Comes Together

"Where It All Comes Together" is the name of my Blog, because it is my truth: While I am creating "Magnetic Expressions", that's where it all comes together for me.

I wear many hats: I am a wife, a mom of 4 girls, a cook, a housekeeper, a referee, a cheerleader, a taxi cab driver, an entrepenuer, a tutor, a friend, a daughter, a sister, and all the other "stuff" that comes with being me...and I wouldn't trade it for anything! BUT...every mom knows that we need to decompress sometimes, and my time is when I am making my magnets with your beautiful photos!

When I am creating, I am also meditating to a degree. All kinds of uplifting, interesting, thought prevoking, and strange thoughts fill my head...and that's what I will be sharing with you. When I am creating, this is where my life comes into perspective. This is where I dream and set my personal goals. This is where I relax and breath deeply. This is where new ideas for my business come to me. This is where I am grateful for all the riches in my life. This is "Where It All Comes Together".

All of us are on this journey we call "Life", and many of us are "Moms"...so my wish is that you will get some fun ideas, some words of encouragement, maybe a few tears, and even some laughs from visiting me here!

Feel free to add your two cents, I always welcome different perspectives...it opens my mind and makes me think! :)