I love CHRISTMAS! What fascinates me the most are the outdoor and indoor decorations, on streets, shops, the Christmas music, the special cuisine, the family gatherings…All these create a special vibration.

Nowadays, I spend Christmas with temperatures reaching over 30°C, but it wasn’t always like that. I was raised in the North of Portugal where Christmases are cold and sometimes there’s snow. If you ask my preference, I definitely prefer a cold Christmas. For me personally, it adds a special MAGIC!!

This season is also a time of compassion, where we are asked to participate in various different ways to support the community, humanity through donations and volunteering.

Christmas is a time for giving and receiving.

In the process of giving-receiving everyone wins. The act of receiving is as much a part of the process as giving is. To give, someone must receive, right? The feeling you get from giving is so good because you know there is another person who receives what you’re giving. In other words, they are actually giving you something back by receiving. You both end up being a receiver and a giver regardless of who started the process.

Unfortunately, not all people know how to receive. Some people might feel like a taker and not a giver. Taking and receiving are two different things. When you take, you gain and someone loses. When you receive, both parties end up gaining something. It’s not give and take, it’s give and receive.

I still remember vividly, when at Christmas my mum’s friend would give us Christmas gifts and I would always think that my brother’s gift was better than mine. I wish I had someone to explain how to receive the gift happily regardless of what it was, to show appreciation to the giver (give back) and avoid frustrations.

All these experiences shape our mindset, and impact us throughout all our life. I’ve shifted my thinking in this matter (well… still in the process). I’m learning how to receive (gifts or compliments), and receive happily no matter what it is and show appreciation to the giver. Like this we both win in this process.