Years ago, when I first became a student of Let It Go Yoga, I decided to let go of Christmas! To just let it go and do nothing and see what happened. It was a spiritual experiment that I was having fun with in other areas of my life and I wanted to see what would happen if I just let it go.
That year I did not send cards, or buy presents. I didn’t bake cookies or prepare special foods. I didn’t buy a tree or put out any decorations. I was single at the time and I spent Christmas day with my family – my Mom, my sister and her two girls. I had told them that I wasn’t doing Christmas that year and asked them not to worry about gifts for me. I honestly thought that they would understand and go along with my wishes.
On Christmas morning I was surprised to find many presents under my sisters’ tree. There were presents for the kids and some for my mom and sister. There were even some presents for me! When I looked closer there were also presents FROM me! I was so surprised to find that my mom and sister had put my name on several packages that were wrapped for the girls. My nieces, age 9 and 14, were thrilled to see so many wonderful presents and, although I was dumbfounded, I didn’t want to say anything as not to risk ruining their good time.
They received dolls and clothes… My older niece received the best gift ever – a Ouija board, given to her, or so the tag said, by the coolest aunt ever – me!
Later, while making Christmas dinner, I confronted my mom and sister, only to hear that they didn’t want me to be left out and that they thought it was fine that the girls thought those presents were from me.
As the day progressed, my sister and her oldest daughter were not getting along. My niece was going through teenage angst and was taking it out on her mom. Nothing her mom did or said was right. This was painful for my sister and I went to talk to my niece to see if I could help remedy the situation. I found her sulking in her bedroom and playing around with the Ouija. She was mad at her mom and felt that her mom didn’t understand or listen to her. In an angry tone she told me how her mom would have never bought her that Ouija board, that it was something she had asked for several times but that her mom always had said no. Only me, a cool aunt, would have bought it for her and she loved it!
Well, I couldn’t take it any longer and told her the whole story. I told her that I hadn’t done anything that year – that I didn’t buy her the Ouija board, that her mom did! Now it was my niece that was dumbfounded! Her mom bought her the coolest present? Her mom did get her what she wanted? Her mom was pretty cool after all! We talked for a while and cried a little together, and then she decided to come out of her room and gave her mom a big hug. The whole family came together and we sat around the Ouija board and asked the Ouija questions. Would my niece have a date to the prom? Would my sister get a new car? Would Sue Anne be single forever? The needle would magically move to say “yes” or “no”. Or sometimes would spell out the answer. We all laughed and joked and had a great time together.
I have never let go of Christmas again. Every year since then I have enjoyed the holidays and all the trimmings but I have always felt that I had been given a gift that day. I learned a mother’s love knows no bounds and that the magic of Christmas can show up in any form…even when you let it go!
I am not recommending that you let go of Christmas, or consult the Ouija board. But I do recommend trying a few letting go experiments for yourself… do nothing, be present and see what shows up… – watch the magic happen.
Contributed by Sue Anne Parsons – Let It Go Yoga
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