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Sonoma Valley Sun Articles
 HolidaysA Christmas past – just one year ago 12-24-09It’s totally not too late! Whether you’re reading this on Christmas Eve or later, please focus for a moment on this question: Who in your acquaintance is negotiating this holiday season from a new vantage point because of a major change i... read more… A good time to think about alternatives for Holiday celebrating 11-26-09Have you ever been in a situation where conversation did not come easily? Perhaps you were with a teenager whose fierce longing for independence had initiated a nonverbal stance, or with an older person with fading short-term memory.On more tha... read more… Enjoy really rich conversation instead of shopping on International Buy-Nothing Day; 11-20-09Have there been conversations in your home, school, and workplace about the “real” story of the first Thanksgiving dinner more than 400 years ago? Some say we’ve based our annual celebration on an event that bears little resem... read more… Someone’s waiting to be asked to participate 12-12-08Unless you’ve been there, you can’t know how unbearably difficult it is to survive the first holiday season after a major loss. Unless you’ve been there you don’t really know what a difference it can make when holiday celebrat... read more… A different kind of Thanksgiving 11-28-08Yesterday you likely celebrated a wonderful day of Thanksgiving. Here in Israel, of course, we didn’t celebrate that holiday, but I’ve come across a number of Thanksgiving expressions I thought you might enjoy. On Wednesday, Nov. 5, th... read more… Evaluate today for abundant joy next year 1-17-08“It’s not as much fun taking down the Christmas decorations as putting them up, is it?” I asked the gentleman as he stepped off the ladder leading to his rooftop. Actually, he responded, “I’m not that fond of putting ... read more… More fun with BISO and the Magi come to Bethlehem 12-27-07Today’s column has two distinct sections. First we’ll talk about our Buy In Sonoma Only (BISO) campaign and ways you can participate even if it was Christmas-shopping-as-usual for you this year. Secondly, we’ll look at a few more fa... read more… “And she gave birth to a son, her first-born” Luke 2:6 12-20-07What do we really know about that dark night in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago? Much more is known than in the days of our childhood because of the archeological discoveries of the past 60 years. There is also a great deal we don’t know and... read more… Win a prize creating and shopping in Sonoma 12-06-07One of our Glen Ellen readers, writer Sylvia Crawford, had 21 guests this year for Thanksgiving and her brother’s 50th birthday celebration on the weekend. As she and eight-year-old Allie entered Longs Drugs in pursuit of balloons, the child wa... read more… Refreshing approaches to your holiday gift list 11-29-07There is little question we have entered the Christmas season; it is all around us. There may still be some question, however, of just how you – oh yes, I do mean you holding this paper – will prepare for December 25 th. Please know that ... read more… Mindfully and joyfully celebrating the holidays 11-22-07We used to know what happened on the first Thanksgiving Day, right? And then in recent years we hear alternatives, contradictions, even what some call revisionism. So how can we get at the truth? And if we learn the truth, do we have to pack away our... read more… Honor your mom by walking and standing 5-03-07Most of our traditions around Mother’s Day are not what the day’s founders had in mind. I’m writing about Mother’s Day early this year to afford you the opportunity to plan something quite different and more in tune with its o... read more… Planning tips as holidays come to an end 12-28-06When the holidays have ended, there can be a let-down. So as a public service to prevent your dropping into depression, I have an assignment for you. If you followed a couple of November “just joan” columns and have a holiday planning ... read more… The joys of holiday traditions 12-21-06In a particular bookstore in Jerusalem, I was captivated by the crèche scenes offered for sale because in each one Mary was depicted in a reclining position. But of course! The woman had just given birth, for heaven’s sake. Why should we think ... read more… Holidays can be lonely when you're single 12-14-06Unless you’ve been there yourself, it may be difficult to imagine how excruciatingly lonely the holidays can be for someone whose circumstances have recently changed. When a person has left home or become widowed or divorced in the past year, t... read more… More steps to a relaxed holiday celebration 11-23-06Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers. We’ll begin today with a reminder to relax tomorrow in honor of Buy Nothing Day or Buying in Sonoma Only Day. Instead of frantic shopping among frantic crowds, you might spend part of Buy Nothing Day on the tel... read more… Memories of Christmas Eve past 12-15-05Nanjing, China, 1987 After my students had presented the entire Christmas pageant for the Communist leaders, faculty and students of Shenyang Agricultural University, I received accolades from older teachers who “remembered that story from t... read more… Wake up! The holidays are coming 11-17-05Today’s column is a challenge. Most of us have a sense that the celebration of Christmas has been co-opted by the merchandizing world. And yet, year after year we continue in the traditions, gritting our teeth, determined to make this one the &... read more… |
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