After Hurricane Sandy devastated our coast in the fall, it has been very difficult to “enjoy” the holidays, especially when so many were still homeless, rebuilding and financially drained throughout the entire holiday season.  This storm was described as the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season and many are still recovering from it.  I ended up sponsoring more children than I initially planned; I made some local donations and to the American Red Cross, but I still felt like I should be doing more.  I know that I am very grateful that my home was left unharmed after the storm and my family was safe.  A few days without power was okay until it started getting cold, but just at that time, God answered my prayers and our service was restored.  We had so much to be thankful for on Thanksgiving and throughout the year.  I suspect there will be many more devastating storms; we will all be helpers and we will all need help at different times, so we need to be in a position to help as much as we can, and keep the spirit of CHRISTmas in our hearts all year long.  These are very trying times and our character is being tested; whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.  I believe that all of us are stronger than we know.  And I believe in Jesus Christ.  I believe that we all have the power to brighten someone’s life and to make this world a better place.  Sometimes we think that the small things don’t count, but they do and we need to keep doing as much as we can for ourselves, for our family, our friends and neighbors … we need to do our part.  And I believe that if you love Christmas, you have goodness in your soul and throughout the year I find more reasons to love Christmas and that gives me the reason to believe in greatness.  My faith is constantly renewed.

One of the things that I enjoy about sponsoring families at Christmas is shopping for toys… it brings out the inner-child.  When one of my daughters was young, I remember searching high and low for that Cabbage Patch doll.  One of the most sought after Christmas gifts for kids this past year was the popular Furby doll!  They come in all colors and are so cute!

Another thing I enjoy year round is shopping for ornaments.   I found these beautiful custom ornaments with personalization or branding.  Coton Colors designs  are inspired by the celebrations of life, with collectible pieces fit for every occasion – and they do so much more than ornaments.

Like most of you, I do lots of shopping on line and I found some great gifts through My Habit [founded by Amazon.com]; which offers free membership; fast, free shipping and free return shipping in the U.S., plus international shipping to over 50 countries. The site also offers shoppers a complete fashion experience including 360-video shot on models; you can get 60% off sales and insider access to designer brands for women, men, kids and home.

Most of us are going a bit overboard with Christmas trees.  I actually have ten trees in my house… one for every room!  Trees are beautiful and with all the complementary decorations, you can make each one unique in every color, if you want.  Here are some cool finds:

The Modern Christmas Tree is a remarkable piece of art decor and the definitive spin on the traditional holiday tree.  Limited editions are available in 3 sizes, prices, and colors. Easy to put up and take down. Collapses flat for space saving storage.  It’s innovative, unique, rare, and are great for home or office… check out their video on their site … another bonus is that 5% of Modern Christmas Tree purchases go back to charity.

Unfortunately, I am allergic to pine, so I use an artificial tree.  But for the “real” tree lover, there are new tree service options to choose from.  Where I live in New Jersey, if you want a real tree you can either drive out to a tree farm or cut one down, or you can buy one from the many tree vendors who line up the main road.  The average tree costs about $100.00.  Experts suggest that the tree should only be indoors for 2-3 weeks for the Christmas season and should not be kept close to a heat vent or fireplace (another reason it wouldn’t work for me, I need mine up a long time!) There are companies like A Tree For Christmas, that provide real trees direct from the farm.  These are great especially since after Christmas the tree should be stored in a cool place until it is ready to plant, weather permitting of course.

I was watching Shark Tank and was so happy to see that the sharks invested in Scotty Claus at The Living Christmas Co…. His company rents out trees!  They are real trees brought to you from the farm and returned to the farm after Christmas where it can continue to grow for future generations!  Definitely good for waste management; check out their site, he has an eco-holiday store too.   Watch The Living Christmas’ Scotty Claus on Shark Tank.   For now, they are only servicing the west coast but with the Shark Tank connection I am hopeful that he will expand nationwide.

Whether we’re shopping, picking out new ornaments, trees, or donating to charities and helping others, as long as we keep the spirit of Christmas in our hearts and never lose sight of what the real reason for the season is… we will all continue to have reasons to believe.

Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter … and please continue to celebrate with me all year long.

Stay blessed, stay safe and warm… and  #STAYMERRY