Perhaps it might be nothing that your spouse or children will notice. It might be a subtle change of answer or attitude when others endeavour to create or continue the Christmas festive cheer and fun. A change in the type, cost, origin or meaning of the presents you give to your spouse or children could more strongly signal a change for the better than a thousand promises that your loved one may feel she or he's heard (or given) before.

Sometimes we are called to make a big shift in our actions, attitudes and aims. All in the name of love, family strength, and making yet another attempt to strengthen our family from within.

"For me, Christmas means… celebration and commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ… Santa Claus… special time with my wife and children… Christmas dinner… presents… unease about the commercialism of Christmas… the prospect of embarrassment and unease if my gifts given will be greatly outshone by some others' gifts to me… mixed feelings… the glowing faces of my children when they open Santa's presents… the Christmas tree… the anticipation sparkling out of my children on Christmas Eve night… the way my wife does such wonderful things for us to make Christmas special… the King George VI steeplechase (a horserace) on St. Stephen's Day… travelling to my in-laws in Mayo…"

What does Christmas mean for you?

Dan Arnold works confidentially on a one-to-one basis with parents, either face-to-face or over the telephone. He also presents Talks, Workshops and Seminars on Parenting, Relationships, and Thinking Skills to Schools, Groups and Companies. He can be contacted on 087 750 6771, or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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