On the 12th day of Christmas...

On the 12th day of Christmas... the gift of letting go.

Darn, I didn't get that recipe book for my mom that I said I was going to get back in November...

Shoot, our cards will be lucky to get there before New Years...

Hell, I haven't heard from Shirley in years, so I didn't send her a card this year... I just got one from her yesterday!

Hmmm, it's the 25th - the phone bill was due three days ago...

What's that beeping? The gingerbread cookies!! Anyone need me to fix their brick wall?

Oh yeah, it's 9:30 and I haven't written my 11th and 12th day Christmas blog...

Ahh, Christmas is over. It's time to let these things go... until next year.

Peace,
T

The 11th day of Christmas... go homemade

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love made for me... homemade bread bowls for our traditional Christmas Eve soup!

Seriously, don't underestimate the joy people receive upon getting something that you made yourself this holiday.

It could be homemade cookies, kid's artwork, those adorable handmade ornaments, or an apron with your kids' handprints on it for Grandpa. Carve out some time, put on the holiday tunes (we like the Squirrel Nut Zippers swingin' instrumental of Sleigh Ride), pull out the paints or the recipe and get to work! This year we made sugar cookies in the shapes of cowboy boots, cactuses, snowmen, and teradactyls and passed them out to friends. Unfortunately my kids fizzled after the first dozen, so loved ones received ONE cookie, but hey. It was the thought that was supersized!

"It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags..."*-- Dr. Seuss, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Enjoy,
T

The 10th day of Christmas... QT

Hopefully you've arrived at your destination (if you're traveling this season), having offset your footprint with my favorite organization: carbonfund.org (key - the dot org, and you've come bearing some thoughtful gifts either baked, homemade or bought locally, wrapped in the Sunday comics. You're so green you feel like Kermit!

Now it's time for some Buddha mind and Buddha body. The idea: sharing quality time with yourself and others around the holidays. The reality: reliving old patterns from a shared history of dysfunction.

Ok. That was really cynical. But let's face it, one of the biggest challenges to staying present in the moment is when we are sharing four walls with people who have known us our whole lives (family). It was Ram Dass who said, "If you think you are enlightened, go spend a week with your family."

So my best advice: if you can, hang with the younger crowd. My kids have been my best teachers in living in the NOW. They live every second for exactly what it is. They won't let you leap to the future (me: "Ok. I need to go start the dinner now" Kids: "no you don't. Keep playing with us!") I'm famous for telling my son what we've planned for the day when I still have my pajamas on. By the time I'm finished with my sentence, he's halfway out the door. Ready to go.

Second piece: give yourself and others space. When your sister-in-law makes that backdoor comment about your cooking that you knew was coming try something totally new: non-reaction. See what happens. More often than not, it works like a mirror for the person, and will likely cause a realization of the negatively-charged nature of the comment. You may even hear your sister-in-law apologize! Seriously, try it.

Also, if you can, take a few moments (in a spare bedroom, outside, in the car) to find stillness. Check in with your body. Cleanse it with some deep breaths. Return to yourself.

On the 10th day of Christmas, the best gift is conscious breathing.

Peace,
T

On the 9th day of Christmas...downtown

Hopefully you have already hit the holiday market at the pavilion end of the downtown mall. We last minute shoppers took advantage of all the great handmade crafts there today, the last day of the market. (I just bought my mom some cool earrings made from recycled wrapping paper!)

The good news: You can still shop the Innisfree store. This store is a project of Innisfree Village , a non-profit community assisting adults with mental disabilities. All proceeds from the store benefit Innisfree Village. Their weavery, woodshop, and bakery, and other self-help crafts are made here (in Crozet) as well as from other low-income villages around the globe.

Also, O'Susannah, on the west end of the downtown mall, has a nice selection of groovy, cool eco-friendly products. I have a cool calendar made from recycled paper and soy ink from a company out of San Francisco on my wish list. They also sell a line of cards from Waste Not Paper - a company who uses excess scraps of paper from mills. For my girlfriend in Asheville, I bought a unique bamboo postcard here .

Also, if you head east on Preston Ave you can stop by the Blue Ridge Eco-shop at Preston Plaza. This shop specializes in all things green. One of my favorites is their "plant-a-note" cards. Gift giving times two: after enjoying your hearfelt message, your receiver can then plant this card in soil, give it sunshine and water, and voila -- wildflowers begin to grow! Don't miss their recycled paper wrapping and their soy pinecone candles.

Enjoy!
T

On the 8th day of Christmas... Rt 29N

Hey there, you 29N e-conscious shoppers...

If you can make it safely past the corporate, consumer magnet that is Target, look to your left, and you will see a beacon of light: newly-opened Nature's Child (who just celebrated their 2 month anniversary). Though I'd like to see more products made closer to home (i.e. lower embedded energy), they've got a nice selection of wooden toys and organic clothing. They have a line of toys from Vermont called "My Train" which are very cute and multifunctional, as well as a "Balance Bike" - I'll let Kristin, the owner, explain that one. They also offer a discount for bringing in a reusable bag for your purchases.

If you're up that way, you may also want to hit the latest and greatest natural grocery store: All Goods Groceries. Grab a cup of locally roasted, fair trade, organic coffee and roam the aisles for eco-friendly cleaning products and organic yummies. Josh and Kathleen, the owners, are phenomenal at customer service.

If you like to go green buy buying your basics in bulk at Sam's club(less packaging = less dead tree), I've heard they have an ever-growing selection of eco-friendly products. I went there in October to take advantage of their huge deal on CFL lightbulbs (13 for 16 dollars!.

Happy Seminole Trails,
T

On the 7th day of Christmas...

The intention of these holiday blogs is not to go too heavy on the purchases. But the next three days I will be highlighting some of the local green goods in three geographical areas: North 29, downtown/main street and Barracks Road. If you have to consume, do it consciously, wisely, locally.

I'll begin with Barracks Road.

I know it's hard to believe that amidst all the mass mayhem going on at Barracks Road Shopping this time of year that it's possible to practice conscious living and wise purchasing, but I believe it can be done.

At Plow and Hearth, a Virginia-based company, I was able to find a cool simple, wooden designed stocking hook for the mantel made from a company in Vermont, Christmas Cove Designs as well as quality soy (as opposed to petroleum-based) candles.

Next stop, Rebecca's for a gift-certificate. This small grocer has really upped the ante in terms of going green with their newly-renovated store. Stop in, poke around, drink Kombucha (my friend swears by it!).

Last stop, Blue-Ridge Mountain Sports. John Holden, General Manager of the store is a community leader in terms of environmental issues. He's a great guy and I've heard an even better guide. Before stopping in, go through your coat closet and find one to donate (they are giving them to the Piedmont House). Then you can pick out a cool new Patagonia shirt (according to Holden, an industrial leader for many years in terms of "green"ness) made from all-recycled material.

Deck the halls,
T

On the sixth day of Christmas... go live and local

Give the gift of live music by purchasing a gift certificate for someone you love at Gravity Lounge, Charlottesville's best local venue for live shows.

I just recently enjoyed Devon Sproule, Danny Schmidt and the whole "King of My Living Room" crew there.

Gravity offers a nice array of munchies besides their fully-packed bar. Their best side dish is the array of books you can peruse in between sets. Last time I was there I took a moment to peruse both "Contacting the Cosmos" and "The Complete Book of Aphrodisiacs" - purely by coincidence, I'm sure.

Seriously, it's an ultra Zen location that has the unique potential to warm your soul during these cold winter months.

Best,
T