The holidays are here. We just finished Thanksgiving in the US and we are on to Christmas now. Christmas for so many of us can be challenging. So much to do and so many people to prepare for. We buy gifts, send cards, go to events, plan our own gatherings – and do all the things we normally do in our lives. Wow! It’s a lot to do. And yet, the season also asks us to slow down, reflect and spend time with Our Lord. It’s the month that we Christians celebrate the Birth of Jesus. This requires a different approach to our holidays. Where is the prayer time I need? When will I spend time with people? How many gifts must I really buy? How many events can I really attend? Who do I need to pay attention to? All good questions for each of us? Setting the intention of being a “holiday mystic” may be the necessary first step for us. Then, we can chart a course to a more prayerful, richer Christmas for us and those we love.