Creating the Gift of Wonder

 This year we have all been given a gift! Whether we like it or not, we have been given the gift of time and simplicity which, let's be honest, we have been wishing for anyway.

In our Parent Child Garden classes we have been talking about this slowing down as an opportunity to connect more deeply to our children, to nature and to ourselves. We watch the children every week take such delight in the littlest treasures in the woods and find great joy in just being. We can surely take a page from their little book this season! 

Big family celebrations, trips to the mall and holiday concerts were no longer on our list of things to do and we were given the gift of bringing stillness and wonder back to the season. Even though the holidays are winding down, there is no reason we can't keep the festive spirit alive for our families. The gift of wonder is always relevant! Remember, less is more, especially for the little ones in our lives. 

Lighting a candle is the celebration.

Watching the snowflakes fall is the activity.

Decorating the house with pinecones is the festivity,

Snuggling under a blanket fort is the magic.

It could not be simpler and yet it could not be more poignant for the young child. Each moment is suspended in this gift of time we have all been given. All we have to do, is provide a reverent space for these moments of wonder. It is  what we will cherish most, long after gifts are unwrapped and the last cookie is eaten. And yes, we can try to reenact how we usually celebrate the seasons, or we can create our own special seasons of wonder this year.