The holiday season is here, and what better way to embrace the holiday season than with holiday traditions. Holiday traditions, whether silly or sacred, can add special value to the holiday season and leave lasting memories that you will forever cherish. A holiday tradition that my family has is driving around our community to see all the colorful and brightly lit houses and we typically have holiday music softly playing in the background. My kids Continue reading
MSAA is very proud to present our 2017-18 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by multiple sclerosis (MS).
We have received many wonderful submissions from across the country and are delighted to share their work and their stories with you. Please visit our online gallery to view all of the new submissions.
| Kimberly Stevens – Roanoke, VA Christmas Stars |
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About the Artist:
“Diagnosed in January 2012 and no longer able to work, I became determined to find ways to keep busy based on my daily MS symptoms. MS requires flexibility.
Shaky hands and eye issues have made jewelry and glass working very difficult these days, and after going to a paint night party, I was inspired. I’ve enjoyed painting with stencils to create mixed media artwork and painting clay pottery for the past year.”
Read more
My husband loves a good deal. Seriously, he hates paying more than he has to for anything and loves telling everyone how much he saves. He’s in his glory this time of year, scouring the newspaper and internet for low, low prices. On Thanksgiving Day, as I was agonizing (OK, maybe a bit of an exaggeration) over dinner, my husband was checking his e-mail inbox and came across the following.
Yes, you read that correctly. Thanksgiving Day, a day to be grateful for all we have, is being swallowed up by the spending holiday of Black Friday. I even saw a few companies refer to the week as Black Friday Week! It’s crazy! The way we are going, in 20 or 30 years, we will have lost the original meaning of all of our holidays. All that will be left will be the sales and deals galore. Don’t laugh, it could happen!
With Christmas coming up, that got me thinking. Maybe we should embrace the saying that “It’s the thought that counts”; not the price tag. So, I’ve put together a list of gift ideas that show an added personal touch (and that don’t break the bank).
1. Bake cookies and send along the recipe for future use.
2. Make homemade holiday cards.
3. Give the gift of your time. For example, offer to babysit to give young parents a break.
4. Put together a book of “secret family recipes” and give it to all family members, young and old.
5. Use your talents (such as knitting) to create unique presents.
6. Craft gifts (like wreaths) out of recycled or repurposed materials.
7. Pass along a family heirloom to the next generation.
8. Regift; if you don’t think you’ll use something, give it to someone you know will.
Sometimes, the best gifts are the ones that come from the heart.
Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!!
The holidays are a time where people come together to celebrate the joy of the season, to honor past holiday traditions or to create new ones for generations to come. Holidays of the past can foster different types of memories – fond ones, funny ones, and those, “I still can’t believe that happened!” moments. For me, the holidays were always a hectic time, where you never quite knew what was going to happen. I do hold some fond moments about old traditions in our family, and though they may seem odd to others, every family is different and has their own ways of celebrating.
In my family, Christmas Eve was the night our extended family would get together to celebrate the holiday and exchange gifts through a Pollyanna. But the gift exchange and celebrating couldn’t happen until midnight, when it was really the start of Christmas day. As a child this was agony, as half of us would fall asleep before the countdown to midnight even began, and the rest of us were so tired that when it did come time to open presents and rejoice, we didn’t really appreciate the tradition at that late hour. However, this still remains a heartwarming memory for me, because for some reason or other throughout the years, this tradition is no longer. As more children were born into the family and members didn’t want to travel home so late, gifts are now exchanged at leisure, with no countdown or anticipation as years past. It’s still a nice tradition, but it’s different, and now we take time to reminisce about those past holiday memories and look back with joy.
Each holiday season brings varied traditions, moments, and feelings that are unique to each person and family celebrating the occasion. And even though things may change through the years, making holidays different from ones that came before, there are still memories to be made and joy to experience.
What are some of your holiday memories?
SEASON’S GREETINGS…
To MSAA’s Family and Friends!
We would like to wish everyone a joyous and safe Holiday Season, plus a Happy New Year too! Please join us in spreading our holiday wishes by sending our festive cards to all of your family and friends.
You can choose from a variety of cards for all holidays to match the personality of everyone on your list. By sending a card from MSAA, you are telling others that you take an interest in MSAA’s mission to enrich the quality of life for everyone affected by multiple sclerosis (MS).
The contributions we receive from caring individuals and businesses are so urgently needed. They enable us to continue to provide vital programs and services to the MS community, such as MRI scans, mobility and symptom management equipment, a toll-free Helpline, and much more. We are extremely thankful for the support we receive and the help we are able to give to others.
Send an MSAA online holiday card today and throughout the holiday season!