Imagine The Magic!!!

Hi!


The Holiday Season has officially hit it the Reid household.  With tradeshows every weekend I started the decorating a bit earlier than usual because I have to do it a bit at a time.

Between this hip not being completely back up to par and fighting some weird cold/laryngitis type thing, a bit at a time is what it needs to be. Hardly the biggest problem in the world.


One of the upsides of early decorating is getting to steep in this little munchkin's reaction to everything. The snow globes, dancing snowmen, and Christmas tree, Oh My!

How incredible it must all seem to these young eyes. Last year she was a bit young to take it all in, this year you can see the magic of it all reflected in her eyes.

The lights that are beginning to appear all over town as you go for car rides. Everywhere you go and everywhere you look, magic, magic, and more magic.

To have the opportunity to experience this time of year through the beautiful eyes of this little face, once again, is priceless. We got the chance through our kids, and now through our grandbabies.

When our kids were small, things were so hectic, and stressful. If I could give my younger self some advice, it would be to relax more and just enjoy it. I would tell my "young mom me" to accept the fact that there is no such thing as a perfect Christmas, and give myself permission to just let it not be perfect. I would tell my "young mom me" to not stress so much over that perfect gift from the wish list, just give them the magic, it's what they will remember. Trendy toys come and go, but the magic lives forever.


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Over the past several days...........

A great tradeshow in Swift Current where a bunch more books found new homes despite the fact that when I tried to chat with people it came out more like a drunken cat gargling peanut butter.

This was followed by days unable to be of much use on a phone etc at the shop.

I was able, however,  to get a bit of a jump on a presentation for the upcoming career day in which I need to say something brilliant to inspire some teenagers. Inspire might be overshooting, I'd settle for not bored.

I also had a nice chat with a new acquaintance about a possible new writing adventure.....

As for the next few days......

Tradeshow tomorrow in Kindersley at the mall.

Working the shop

Running errands

Prep for tradeshow next weekend in Cupar

Write!!!!!!


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Until next week....



May you allow yourself to see the magic of the season, and let it soak in.
May you celebrate the imperfections, real joy lives in games played and words spoken.

May you enjoy the giggles, the wide-eyed wonder, the lights, the endless verses of jingle bells.
May you never tire of "Twas The Night Before Christmas" and other stories of Santa and his pals.

May you celebrate this time with family and friends, cherish every minute, tomorrow is a gift but not a promise.
May you give yourself permission to relax, watch some "Grinch," pour some wine, eat chocolate in your pajamas.

May you allow yourself to experience the magic, let it make you smile.
May you give yourself permission to enjoy, it's really okay, at least every once in a while.




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www.margyreidbooks.com

The 2017 Snowman Migration Begins!

Well folks, before now, I imagine you were unaware of the fact that snowmen migrate. Well, they have officially begun their annual journey from the basement. It seems, every day, a few more make their presence known.

My family loves to tease me about my fascination with these little guys, but, honestly, how can you look at them and not feel at least a little bit of holiday spirit seep in. Though, what is featured in the photos is a thin representation of the whole, it is more than worth the teasing when tiny people visit my home, and after taking it all in, with wide eyes and huge smiles, inform me with conspiratorial whispers that "Christmas lives in your house."

I'll take the teasing, gladly.


With office parties revving up, the constant stream of what to buy for that perfect gift, the wishlists to Santa taking shape and 'Elf on a Shelf ' back on facebook, there is no denying that the holiday season is here.

Inevitably this triggers the narrative that there is some conspiracy to stop people from saying "Merry Christmas."


Over the years, I have put forth a few of my own experiments on this very subject. In a variety of different crowds, in several different places in the presence of people from multiple cultures I have, in rotation wished people either Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Happy Quanza. The only reason I didn't include more, is that I'm not completely confident in the specific names of the twenty plus other observances that happen during the month of December.

This is what I came away with........


I never came across one single person who was offended by any greeting. Neither did any person correct me or try and stop me.

What I think?

"Happy Holidays" seems to be the most inclusive greeting. It's not because "Merry Christmas" or other greetings offend or anger anyone, it's the simple fact that "Happy Holidays" excludes no one, and personally that, as far as I can tell, best aligns with the spirit of the season.

No one will be offended by you sincerely wishing them well. Happy greetings cost nothing, feel free to be generous with them.


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The past week included some grandbaby snuggles, a superhero movie marathon, giving my hubby a haircut, some prep for future book promotions, dust bunny hunting, laundry, Christmas shopping, and fighting with some weird cold/laryngitis thing that, in turn, had me helping out with the shop as best as I could from home.

 Life is running at its usual crazy pace. Trying to take time, make time, to let the bits of downtime soak in.

The upcoming week....

Tradeshow in Swift Current on the 18th......

Work the shop..............

prep for tradeshow on the 25th.....

Assist in the snowman immigration........





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Until next time......

May you revel in the beautiful chaos that this season of giving provides.
May you sustain your sanity, take a beat, let it be fun, let any anxiety subside.

May you release the vision of perfection that can overtake the joy.
May you realize the magic, for your little one, does not live in any toy.

May you see the real magic comes from the fun, the laughter, making a decoration, nibbling a special treat.
May you see wish lists change from year to year, toy trends fade, enchanted memories remain forever sweet.


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www.margyreidbooks.com

Let's Honour Their Sacrifice...All Of It

Remembrance Day

Her heart stopped as the dark car pulled up and halted feet from where she and her three young children were raking and playing in the freshly fallen leaves.

She knew what was to come even before the first car door closed. Her initial instinct was to shield the kids from the horror that was about to assault them, the pain about to ooze from this heavily decorated man.

Someone was distracting the kids, the person in front of her was speaking. "I'm so sorry to have to inform you...."

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The young boy broke away from the grip of his Grandma's hand to be closer to the flag-draped casket as it was slowly lowered into the ground, the 21 gun salute still ringing in his ears. He had blissfully little understanding as to how much his life tragically changed in that moment, what it would be like to grow up without his Mom.


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The haunting images of the blood, the loss, the chaos, the gut-wrenching smell of death, it all followed him home. How could he pretend that he was the same when that was impossible. It was there every time he closed his eyes, in every firework, in every car backfire. It was in the eyes of every other vet he met. How would he ever find normal....be normal again.......




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We should honour those who fight for our freedoms by honouring our freedoms. Let's stop wielding said freedoms as daggers, twisting them to suit our prejudices, contorting them to fit our agendas. Let's honour them in the spirit in which they were won. Our flags are not meant to be raised as a weapon against our fellow citizens, they were not created to divide us, they, indeed, were created to give a sense of belonging, of unity, a proud symbol of that unity.


Let's take a beat to truly think about the sacrifices made by our military and their families. All of it. The uncertainty, the missed birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, births, deaths, school plays, basketball games, swim meets, first steps, first words, first girlfriends, first dates, all of it. And those are the lucky ones.


The lucky ones who get to come home and try to make their old "normal" fit once again, try to make sense of what they've been through, trying to transition to their somehow familiar, yet very strangely, new reality. Trying to once again embrace the life that once was, the exact kind of life that they enlisted to protect in the first place.

Then there are the unlucky. The ones who are forever missed and mourned by those they left behind.

All of it.


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In deep appreciation to those who fought and continue to fight the fight that allows me and mine to live the pretty fantastic life we live, thank you.


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The past days have been spent goofing off with some longtime friends, bookkeeping, story writing, presentation prep, doing laundry and other domestic engineering.

In the upcoming days.....

A weekend spent at home, watching movies, puttering, and sneaking some grandbaby snuggles....

Taking part in a trade show here in Milden on Wednesday.......

Working the shop.......

Prep for tradeshow in Swift Current.......

Write!!!!

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Until next time.........


May you know we appreciate your sacrifice, your time, everything you give.
May you know we understand it's because of you, we live the lives we live.

May you recognize that "thank you" is all we have, knowing full well it's too small.
May you see there are not enough words to express our gratitude, even in giving them all.

May you make your way home, and be able to put your head to pillow in peace.
May your soul become quiet, your surroundings serene, may every turmoil cease.

May you know we see you are not always treated as the heroes you are, or with the respect that you deserve.
May you, I hope, still see us as a people, an ideal, a community representative of what prompted you to serve.




Until next time...... www.margyreidbooks.com

Don't Let The Frenzy Get You!

Hi!

Well. Halloween has come and gone, treats and a few frights were handed out, now come the tummy aches that inevitably follow an overindulgence in sweets. Conversations ensue,  explaining why Twizzlers are not a good idea for breakfast each and every day, and how the peanuts in a Snickers bar don't count as vegetables.


It was awesome seeing all of the costumes on social media, kids and parents alike. It was a well-needed respite from the seriousness the world carries these days.

As the evening wore on, the weather took a decidedly wintery turn. It began innocently enough as rain, which quite quickly became sleet, then, just as quickly, snow. As of November 1st, we have snow, and if you listen to the forecast, it's pretty much here to stay. If it does, it's going to make for a very long winter. Very. Long.

But, there's absolutely nothing we can do about the weather, so we might as well make the best of it.


Heck, a bunch of people I know were chomping at the bit waiting for this, snowmobiles and skis at the ready.

Just goes to show you, the same news can be perceived as good to some, not so good to others, but that doesn't change the fact it's the same news. Snow is still snow.


And now, if you are paying attention to ads and storefronts, we flip the switch from skeletons to Santa. I literally saw a display that had an inflatable spider and an inflatable snowman occupying the same shelf.

I sometimes get the feeling that retailers are scared to let us, the consumers, breathe. As though allowing us to take a beat between feeding frenzies will somehow grind the free world to a complete halt.

It's all of the December Gift Giving Holidays, then the "after holidays sales", then Valentine's Day, Then St. Patty's, Easter, Then all the "have tos" for Summer, then comes "back to school", then Halloween, and then we are right back to Christmas.

Don't let the frenzy get you. There is time. Breathe.



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So the past days included doing a Karaoke Halloween Bash, which was a blast, catching up on some dust bunny hunting, laundry, and some much-needed housework.

The upcoming days will include more of the same, working the shop, and spending some time with some people near and dear to my heart.


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Until next time.......


May you find joy in the changing of the gears, stepping to the beat of your own drum.
May you give yourself permission to breathe, you write the rhythm, determine the outcome.

May you create and embrace your own traditions, or not, there are no rules it's your holiday season.
May you have Turkey or Tacos, Pies or Pizza, Rum, Hot Chocolate or both, it's your rhyme or reason.

May you allow yourself to enjoy, there are no criteria, just loved ones and fun.
May the holidays bring you the joy they are meant to, breathe, your rhythm, your drum.





www.margyreidbooks.com