Tradition & Reflection
As long as I can remember, decorating our Christmas tree has been a tradition I always cherished.
Taking the tree and boxes down from the attic, carefully placing lights and ornaments up until we could stand back and admire it.
What was once a familiar and fun childhood memory continues with deeper meaning as an adult.
It’s become a moment to pause, savor memories, and ground myself for the season ahead.
It reminds me where I am in the year and gives a quiet window to reflect and hold gratitude for the people and experiences the year has brought me.
A Tradition That Still Matters
This tradition holds different emotions for me, from joy and grief, to growth and hope. Some ornaments bring a person to mind or a phase of life I hold dear.
It’s sentimental and grounding and naturally invites reflection if you allow it to, not just celebration.
Years ago, my late husband and I started a tradition of naming our Christmas tree each year—alternating between male and female names and working through the alphabet. It still makes me smile when I think about the names we chose (and laugh a little that I can’t, for the life of me, remember what we named the tree in 2015).
Fourteen years later, this tradition is going strong. It still matters.
And while the story has changed, the meaning hasn’t.
Now, Michael and I carry traditions of our own—and they’ve brought a new kind of richness to this season. And in a strange and beautiful way, that blend of past and present is exactly what this season feels like to me.
A layering of moments.
A collecting of meaning.
A gentle reminder that life keeps moving…and so do we.
This Year’s Tree
This year we named our tree Makoa—Hawaiian for “fearless.”
It reflects both a trip we’re looking forward to in the new year and the spirit Michael and I are trying to embody as we step into 2026 together.
Maybe you have a tradition like this, too.
Something that helps you pause before the year slips away.
Something that anchors you back into gratitude when life moves too fast.
And if you don’t—this season is a beautiful time to create one.
This is exactly why I believe December isn’t meant to be rushed through.
It’s meant to be felt…revisited…tapped into for insight.
Your Invitation To Pause
If you’re craving a quiet way to reflect before the calendar turns, I created something for you.
My Year-End Reflection Guide is a gentle invitation to pause, take stock, and begin the new year with clarity instead of pressure.
Not to force goals but to listen more closely, and move forward with intention.
You can download the guide now—and start wherever you are.
Because reflection doesn’t ask you to have it all figured out.
It just asks you to be willing to see what’s already here.