I’ve been thinking about this Christmas season and how best to enjoy it all.

I’ve decided there are some key elements required; essential things that should be attended to w-a-a-a-y before all that shopping.

At the very least, they are integral touchstones that ensure once I start seeking my presents, I’ll be in a truly Christmas state of mind.

And so, for these last two weeks before the big day, my plan is to incorporate a variation of each of these things in some form & for as many days as possible. I think it’s a pretty stellar line-up that includes;

Music, lights, laughter, children and love.

Last night I got a great start on my plan when Kevin & I picked up our two great-nieces, Makaisha and True and our great-nephew Avrie (Children-check!), and drove out to Capilano Canyon for the light display.

We listened and sang along to Christmas carols on the drive to North Vancouver (Music-check!) and when we arrived at the endless lights of the Canyon, five-year old True said more than once, “Look at those lights! Those are my favourite!” (Lights-check!)

We all laughed as we tried to keep up with that fearless five-year old and her goofy older brother as we crossed four-hundred feet of swinging-suspended magic (Laughter-check!). Mostly, 16-year old Mak rolled her eyes at that same brother (but she’s so beautiful and as she never stopped taking a million pictures of her own, I believe her smile counts as a roomful of laughter).

We were bedazzled by a zillion lights glowing from every tree and rock. Some of the trees looked like fireflies were drifting down the branches, cascading miniature waterfalls of light. The canyon was lit with changing colours and later, as we walked the skinny bridge that hangs off the side of that rock wall, we could see each part of the rock walls glowing magenta, blue and green, letting us see that we were walking among the tree tops.

It’s not just kids that are scared of the dark. Humankind has been trying to stave off the winter shadows ever since our long ago cave-dwelling ancestors discovered fire. Whether it’s Vikings burning a ship as they send off a fallen warrior to Valhalla or a pagan dancing around a winter ceremonial bonfire, we have been throwing light against the darkness for as long as we’ve been able.

Buddha attained enlightenment. Jesus was sent to be a light to the world. We seek to be illuminated as we attempt to light our path. I even called this blog Traveling Light; a play on words that often makes me smile. And in the Very Big End, we head toward that Ultimate Light.

To me, light and love are words that share some very similar characteristics. And so, my Christmas advice to myself that I hope you will share, is to:

Surround yourself with lights and glittery decorations that throw sparkles in unexpected corners.

Light up someone’s life with your brightest smile and your biggest heart.

Go out of your way to give the Christmas gift of your laugh and love this year.

And if it feels a little dark in your world? Find a child, or three if you can, and then do everything possible to help them create a beautiful Christmas memory.

It ends up being a very selfish gift…because the light and love you add to their lives only serves to illuminate your own.