“Nothing is worth more than this day.” – Goethe

This year at Gatherhaus we don’t have lists, or ideas, or inspired parties for you.  We don’t have a magic wand to make this Holiday superior. We weren’t looking for bigger and better. Our greatest desire was to focus in, bring it back, and reclaim the heart and soul of winter solstice, light and Christmas.

We are actively working away from superficial, packaged, mass produced, one dimensional, general, light weight days to move into a more homegrown, handmade, rich, deep, comfortable, warm lifestyle.

So this year? This year we have dreams and wishes for you. Wishes that pierce through apathy and distrust, busyness and chaos, emotional turmoil and mental distress. Our wish is to grab hold of the very heart and soul that pulses through our veins and runs through the rivers and valleys of our earth.

This Christmas we wish you the ability to appreciate the little things.

To find warmth where a chill has found a home in your bones.

That your spirit would not be crushed, but find a way to be free.

We wish that loneliness would be replaced with acceptance.

That hurts would start to heal.

And where we want everyone to know joy, peace, hope and love, we also wish that you experience the uncomfortable stress of growing pains. To know you are being stretched, and learned as your heart expands.

We hope that you hear the words of forgiveness and that you are able to say them as well.

We wish for your heart to be full, your mind to be active and your soul at peace.

Let us be truly thankful for being alive.

Knowing what it means to be fully present in the moment. Stopping to let the moment settle deep in your marrow in full understanding that it will never happen again. It won’t be repeated, or recreated, or experienced. So stop. Slow down. See it. Feel it. Taste it. Hear it. Know it. Breath deep and let this moment impress itself on your spirit as a memory where you knew you didn’t let your life, your family, your warmth pass you by. You held onto it. Embraced it. Rejoiced over it. Savored it. Then tucked it away to remind yourself you lived fully, even for a moment.

If you have babies, hug them tight. If you have elderly folks in your life, kiss their cheek and hold their hand. If you have friends or family, squeeze them till that hug takes hold. Give warm greetings to strangers, shake hands, make eye contact, give free hugs, just connect. Human to human, share light and warmth this holiday season.

We wish you all the love this Christmas.