A Holiday Wish — Joy, Play, and Spirit

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and warm wishes for whatever you celebrate at this time of year!

As we close out 2025, I wanted to share a simple reminder: joy is our birthright.

I captured this little video on the Rideau Hall Skating Rink, one of Ottawa’s oldest (est. 1872) on the grounds of the Governor General’s residence. With new refrigeration this year, it opened earlier than community rinks or the Rideau Canal.

As you’ll see, I was a bit shaky on my new skates after two years away from skating—but the smile on my face says it all.

Skating and making videos are two simple joys I’ve consciously welcomed back into my life after the big move to Ottawa and all its transitions. What are your simple joys?

This is your invitation: reconnect with what brings you delight this holiday season. Build a snowman if you have snow, or a sandcastle if you’re in the other hemisphere. Laugh, twirl, move, play, create—allow yourself the glee that is always available to you.

Also make time, if its important to you, to honour the sacredness of this season in your own unique way—through cherished traditions or by creating new rituals that nourish your spirit.

As we celebrate the story of Jesus’ birth, let us remember his teaching that joy, love, and light are to be shared with all.

As Paramhansa Yogananda taught, joy is a pathway to freedom. It opens the heart, awakens the spirit, and reminds us of the sacred life flowing through every moment. In joy, we remember that life is meant to be lived fully, freely, and with delight.

May this season—and the coming year—bring you moments of spontaneous laughter, unexpected wonder, and deep, abiding joy.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me.

With love and light,
Dominique