The feng shui bagua map holds the energy of nine life situations (guas): abundance, family, knowledge, fame, health, life journey, love, children, and helpful people.  Consider these ways you can bring Holiday energy to your personal bagua.

Abundance, Family and Knowledge.  Time is an abundant gift to give to others through the end of the year. Stop doing more and relax into what you have, knowing it is enough. My sister Lona and brother-in-law Kerry are in Dubai this year.  Since Thanksgiving their emails ring of homesickness.  They are enthusiastically awaiting the arrival of their two grown children and their spouses from Colorado and North Carolina for a Christmas in Dubai.  Lona is beside herself in anticipation and Kerry says, "there is so much to do here: dune bashing, water parks, beaches, race tracks that you can actually drive a car on, indoor skiing, camel rides, dining, shopping, cultural and artistic sites...I would be happy staying home eating together, watching tv, playing games, having great conversation, and doing lots of hugging.  I realized what a simple person I am."  Well said, Kerry!  Abundance, family and knowledge all wrapped up in one simple package. 

Fame, Health and Life Journey.   When you tell others about your holidays, what are the favorite events and traditions that come to mind?  What you remember year after year are the traditions you make famous through recognition and remembrance.  After both my parents passed away and we no longer spent Christmas Eve in Ft. Collins, my sister Lona's family and my family started meeting at Olive Garden for dinner and then we went to the movies.  Now that our grandchildren are old enough to sit through the movies, we're resurrecting this tradition and will be thinking of our "Dubai" family.  This year as you recall your traditional activities, consider healthy additions like taking walks or more outdoor activities and recreating recipes with healthier ingredients.  And as you continue your life journey, this gua also holds the energy of new beginnings.  If you are in a new blended family this year, take time to understand and share the meaning of the holidays with each family member, include cultural traditions and review important core beliefs and values of this season.   Now is the perfect time to share and add new traditions that will be remembered among family members new and old.

Love, Children and Helpful People.  For the first time we took our grandchildren Gillian (7) and Kellen (4) to Old Gaylord Street for a hayride, a visit with Father Christmas and hot chocolate.  The horses were huge Belgium draft horses pulling our wagon filled with quilt-covered hay bales (so reminded me of my Dad's upbringing).  Bells jingled and their horseshoes clip-clopped around the neighborhood as we oohed and aahed at the lighted houses and trees in the windows. After the hayride and hot chocolate we met Father Christmas, who warmly greeted the kids with "oh my darling little ones, Happy Christmas."  He shook hands with my husband and kissed me on both cheeks, saying how glad he was to see us.  Dressed in green velvet pants and Scandinavian decorated wool sweater he couldn't have been more generous and loving.  Gillian sat on his knee in a transformed tree trunk lit with twinkling lights and evergreen boughs.  When she came out with an orange I asked what he said.  "This orange is as sweet as your heart.  Take it home and share it with your family and the ones you love."  She has repeated that to everyone with whom we've described this outing.  I am so thankful for the helpful people who stepped up to make our holiday happier (and lots of others', too):  Joanne who organized the hayride from the Gaylord Street merchants, the drivers, elf-helpers, and especially Father Christmas who truly helped me remember my inner child and how much I BELIEVE. 

As you celebrate Christmas with those you love, simply remember the reason for your season, and balance your time between doing and being.