Last Minute Christmas Cheer is Attainable!

On Christmas Eve we seem to realize our limitations more than any other time of the year. Finally, we have done all we can do. One more gift to buy? There is no way, with an exhausted budget and stores that closing for the holiday.  And even if we did buy one more gift, we are out of tape and can’t find the scissors!

Listen up, people! There is still time to move your personal Santa meter from naughty to nice without spending a dime. There is still time.  Here are some last minute Christmas ideas that can do wonders; improve a moment, ask forgiveness, find the light, make amends, plant a seed, and maybe even find peace (or at least start the journey).

Warm a body. Drop off new and gently worn coats at numerous Burlington Coat Factory Stores from now through Jan. 15. You’ll keep someone warm and also get a coupon for 10 percent off your next purchase. It’s part of One Warm Coat, a nonprofit agency that has collected and distributed more than 1 million coats since 1992. For more information, go to www.onewarmcoat.org. Burlington Coat Factory stores are open till 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Make a list. Yes, you may be having a blue Christmas without (fill in your own blank). But what’s giving promise to your life, your day, your moment? The smell of coffee or the taste of cupcakes? The Christmas cards on your mantel? Sunrise? The giggles? Write it down. Remind yourself that tiny stitches create life’s tapestry.

Feed the birds. Last-minute Christmas preparations, albeit well-meaning, can be stressful. Unwind by watching the birds. Here’s an easy way to attract them: Split a bagel in half. On each side, spread peanut butter. Pour some sunflower seeds onto a paper plate. Press the peanut butter side onto the seeds so they stick to it. Hang the halves from a tree. Voilà! Company!

Ask forgiveness. There’s a case to be made for this, says Frederick W. Schmidt, “as the plainest, easiest, most direct route to restoring relationships.”

So why don’t we make those calls that we know in our heart of hearts would do at least two people a world of good?

Because, says Schmidt, director of spiritual formation and Anglican studies at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology, “You’re risking a measure of vulnerability. But you can’t have relationships without being vulnerable. People think they have to have something profound or special to say.” But in reality, most of us just want to know we’re loved and that someone cares.

“The basic element of human relationships is loving others,” he says. “It’s caring about them. It’s the capacity for forgiving and for asking for forgiveness.”

Give a few bucks. Have a favorite charity? Donate online without changing out of your pajamas. Even $10 makes a difference. Heck, even $5 does.

Remember the animals. The SPCA of Texas has two Dallas-area locations, both of which have ongoing needs you can help fulfill. Yes, even on Christmas Eve. They’re simple, cost little if anything, and will make a huge difference, says Maura Davies, senior director of communications for the organization.

“The biggest help would be to bring us newspapers, new or used blankets or towels, cat litter, wet dog or cat food,” she says. “That could absolutely help us.”

The Dealey Animal Care Center is located at 362 S. Riverfront (formerly Industrial) Blvd. Perry Animal Care Center is located at 8411 Stacy Road in McKinney. Christmas Eve hours are noon to 4 p.m. Call 214-742-SPCA (7722) for more information.

Look forward. Maybe the weather outside is frightful – if not today, you know it will be before winter ends. Battle the bleakness by planting bulbs. You can pop ‘em in the dirt outside, or in pots indoors. Schedule lunch, a movie, a game of bowling with someone you think about but never see. Set an actual date; don’t let anything short of a root canal change your plans.

Thank somebody. Your kid for making you laugh, your best friend for putting up with you, your parents for their spirit, your neighbor for just being there. Write, call, ring a doorbell. And as long as the words are in your mouth, remember they’re the easiest (and most meaningful) form of prayer.

Portions of this article were courtesy of Leslie Garcia, a freelance writer in Richardson. Leslie blogs at aglassoflemonade.blogspot.com.