A different kind of Christmas

I am wrapping gifts tonight. The tree is up. Funny, I have been cooking up a storm and stressing about it too. That's kinda funny considering there is no crowd joining our Christmas table this year. I felt compelled to cook anyway. I even tried my hand at my first English Christmas pudding. I started making that a week ago. I still prepared for a crowd and it felt good. No traditions lost, the house full of Christmas cheer, ready for whatever comes. I have found it quite comforting.

Creatures of comfort and habit, we are.

This evenings information:

The new variant of COVID-19 has not been detected in Canada yet but labs are testing and watching closely for it's arrival. This is a very good time to lock down and prevent it's spread if it by chance it is here. It is highly infectious and easily spread but how public health guidelines are just as effective, if we follow them.

Scientists around the world are now confident that this new variant is not more deadly. It does not cause a more serious illness and that the new vaccines will be effective against it.

Get tested if you have symptoms or if you have had a close exposure to COVID-19. We need to find this new variant and track it if it is out there.

A Health Canada decision on the approval of the new Moderna vaccine is imminent; a second tool for our infantry.

Get vaccinated as soon as you can.

Wrap things up tight ( excuse the wrapping pun). We are in for a possibly perilous couple of months. But lets start this dark time by celebrating. Being grateful and generous are powerful tools that may just elevate your spirit higher than you thought possible this Christmas.

You are part of a remarkable global and local community. We are all riding this out together and in short order, I will be able to say that spring is around the corner.

Anne-Marie

Please share

For those who are struggling emotionally, you are not alone. Please reach out.

For mental health support here:

https://familyserviceguelph.on.ca/

For local assistance with anxiety and depression:

www.here4help.ca

CMHA WW Website: www.cmhaww.ca

Here 24/7 at 1-844-HERE-247 or www.here247.ca.

And for post-secondary students, Good2Talk

https://good2talk.ca/

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

And if you'd like to help Bracelet of Hope work towards making sure that Lesotho has access to these vaccines, donate here:

https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-