Last Christmas I was so happy to be able to leave my white Christmas tree up for the entire season! You see, last year I had a little, umm, disagreement with my new cat, Freeda. She decided that the tree was put up for her pleasure and she took great pleasure indeed from climbing it, clawing at the ornaments, chewing on the string of lights, and eventually toppling the entire thing over more than once. This all happened with in the first 24 hours of its emergence from the box. Sadly, for the safety of all concerned, I had to put the tree back in its box and enjoy Christmas without a Christmas tree. But, this year, the tree remained up. Freeda did crawl into it several times, but with more self-control and grace than before, so I considered this a healthy compromise.

I love my white Christmas tree. I bought it in honor of my childhood tree (yes, I was born in the 70s). I remember the different ways my Mom would decorate it every year. One year it was with all red and white ornaments and checkered ribbons. It was her Raggedy Ann and Andy theme. Another year, she went with all gold ornaments and bows. I loved it because it was different than the green trees I saw everywhere else, and it never had to die.

I decided to revive the white Christmas tree tradition with my family. I made a conscious decision to continue a family tradition that might have otherwise been lost. Each generation gets this choice. They can choose to continue a tradition or to abandon it. They can keep it alive, or they can allow it to die.

I made a conscious decision to continue a family tradition that might have otherwise been lost. Each generation has this choice. They can choose to continue a tradition or to abandon it.

My friend and fellow blogger, Kay, sent me a Christmas card last month that had a white Christmas tree on the cover. I had the same feelings well up inside of me when I looked at it. I decided to make the card and my experience of it last by ripping out the image and gluing it into my sketchbook. There is a lot you can learn about creating when you try to place someone else’s image or illustration into its natural habitat.

So for today’s Creating Exercise, I want you to take an image that resonates with you and paste into your sketchbook or on a loose piece of paper. Make a home for it. Mimic the strokes of the artist. Try to replicate the color palette. Add to the image on all sides, creating a larger world for it to reside in. Here it will be immortalized as opposed to being tossed in a dark box or sent to the recycling bin.

What traditions can you choose to continue that will nurture your creative life?

What traditions can you choose to continue that will nurture your creative life? Perhaps creating a sketchbook of drawings and personal thoughts each year. Maybe you want to start a gratitude journal. You might even want to revive a tradition you remember from your childhood, one that you allowed to slip away. It’s not too late to revitalize it by placing the energy of it back into your present world.

I’d love to hear what you plan to do. Please share with me in the comments below. Wishing you a beautifully creative new year full of rich traditions of your own.

Your Creativity Coach,

Bonnie Kelso is the creator of The ABCs of Conscious Creating and the author of Vitalize Your Creative Life. She uses energy healing and creating exercises to connect people to their higher “creative” selves. For more information about her services read about her ACCESS! program or to schedule a consultation please contact her at Bonnie@CreatingYourExperience.com. Are you ready to vitalize your creative life?