You say all your holiday lights and decorations are repacked and tucked away in the attic, and you add, you have returned to life as normal, but I’m still lingering over the gifts that keep me feeling like life is a wonderful celebration and not just a twisted complicated set of lies (or half truths or mostly falsehoods or what ever you call the untruths we have become accustomed to) told by Trump. This week, while the border wall lies mount higher than the proposed wall itself, I especially need to count my gifts, stay focused on what I can control, look up and say thank you to a pretty sunset spied on an afternoon run, and trust, yes trust that the goodness of the good will prevail over those aging white suits frantic to return to a world where their privilege was a propped up principal granted regardless of their bad bad behavior, their criminal behavior, that passed as acceptable for centuries. Ignore them and their willingness to surrender truth I tell myself, and trust that the newbies in Congress will put aside this old order and “impeach the motherfucker.”

Gifts generally flood our lives in December, whether we celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or the Winter Solstice. This January, my focus shifts to self-care. Whether it is the arctic wind outside or coming in to the dry heat, I’m not sure, but all of me screams for any help to feel my healthy best, starting from within. One precious gift recently came from a friend at Maj Mala and this handmade beauty is filling me with all the right intentions. Maj Mala’s message is “Spreading positive vibes through the power of healing energies,” and I can attest that after wearing mine, with citrine to encourage optimism, and rose quartz to promote compassion, and pyrite to enhance motivation, I feel all that! The quality, craftsmanship, and the healing properties of the stones are making each raw January day feel more like, dare I say, yes, a summer breeze. I love my Maj Mala!!

My second gift came in a pretty box that showcased three Kosas lipsticks but Kosas lipstick isn’t just about pretty color. They are made with nothing but yum yum yumminess, from mango seed butter, shea butter, cocoa seed butter and four other oils. These products are cruelty free and 100% healing for your skin. Right now Rosewater is my #1, hydrating and soothing and just plain beauty to apply all day. No need to live in a black and white world with this trio. Color yourself with love. As least that what my daughter must have intended as she sent these to me, yes, a lucky me.

Lastly, I have to give a shout off to a local company who supports me whenever I need extra attention. How lucky am I to have found a few of their gems in my stocking to make the winter months go smoother? With Lunaroma you don’t have to look far for excellence in self-care products. In fact, the directions alone sold me, “Just place jar with lid on in bathtub while running your hot bath. This will soften the honey. Step into bath and glaze the entire body with honey before gliding in. Soak for at least 20 minutes.” And then there are the ingredients, which include Vermont Honey, Organic Vermont Maple Syrup, Organic Calendula flowers, and Organic Rose Petals. Coming in after a frosty run or a slippery ski or just a long work day to this home-spa treatment turns an ordinary Thursday night into a weekend spent far far away in luxury. Seriously, is there anything that smells better than honey and rose? No, no, really, there isn’t. Thanks Santa.

Turn off your TV. Stay clear of Twitter. Talk to people who are doing wonderful things. Give careful attention to what you eat, think, and place on your skin. Keep using products to feel beautiful despite all the ugliness that seeps in through the cracks. Gifts are all around us, coming in little puffs or in large packages, regardless, focus on those, and take the time to show gratitude. As you snuggle in your robe, spend an afternoon writing out a few thank you cards. Come March, when all of this current madness has faded a bit, and signs of Spring emerge, you’ll be glad you tended to the important stuff. Tended to your most essential self.