Coming off the back of a challenging year, it's sometimes difficult to find reasons to be grateful.

But when we look (eyes-wide-open) at the world around us, it's only too easy to see how lucky we truly are.

For me it's always been the simple things that matter. Yet sadly they're often the things we take for granted. But they are remarkable and deserve our appreciation.

So during the lead up to Christmas I acknowledge all the sparkling things I am truly grateful for in 2016:

• Good times with good friends
• Family
• Life in a peaceful country
• The BEST party I've been to in years (complete with fabulous friends, the BEST cocktail waiters in town, a Full-Monty show and numerous fully-clothed swims in a backyard pool)
• Honest and intellectual conversations, sans-gossip
• New-found & long-established friendships 
• New life, created and delivered by dear friends (and my ability to rock the precious angel to sleep)
• Loyalty
• Social invitations and outings
• The time to read
• Ongoing inspiration to write
• Amazing work opportunities
• Coffee from my much loved coffee machine (thanks Mum for the supply of Nespresso pods)
• Rude awakenings (and the strength I found to cope with the new reality they delivered - coffee helped with that too)
• Good health
• Rainforest walks
• Breakfasts at my favourite cafe
• Trees (my gosh they are AMAZING)
• Op Shops
• Heartfelt gifts from friends
• Support from those who genuinely care and accept me as I am
• Creativity
• Cloud formations in blue Brisbane skies
• Laughter
• The ability to stand tall among the critics
• Black Humour (it takes a special kind of person)
• Freedom of choice
• Daily showers 
• Fresh food to eat
• Thunder Storms
• Nature
• Wine, cheese and pasta
• Life lessons
• Beaches
• Television (I'm not even talking Foxtel etc - just plain ole telly)
• Kindness of strangers
• Empathy & compassion
• The tenacity to stand up for what I value and believe (despite other's opinions)
• Daily hen-laid eggs
• Our darling neighbours who let us splash in their pool
• Personal mail 
• A new green beach towel
• Swims in the ocean
• School holidays
• Solitude 
• + so much more

For all the shifting challenges I endured in 2016, my year sparkled with wondrous moments to cherish forever.

May you find yours and may you offer support to those who struggle to find theirs.

Christmas for many is a challenging time, for a variety of reasons, so it is with a heart full of love, that to those I say "you are loved" - "you matter". Keep fighting the fight. Keep creating your path to happiness. Keep things in perspective and write down all the things that make you truly grateful to be living this life.

To support those in need this Christmas there are many Charities to choose from, including these below:

• The Smith Family
• Salvation Army Christmas Appeal
• Givit
• Uniting Care Christmas Appeal
• Unicef

There are so many more, so do your research and choose a cause that resonates with you.

And for those who need a caring and supportive listening ear this Christmas, these life-saving and irreplaceable services are also available – and for them we are truly grateful:

• Lifeline Crisis Support
• Beyond Blue
• Kids Helpline

Merry Christmas one and all! May we find ways to love and support each other more and end the horrors of human and world destruction!

It's that time of year again, when we spread ourselves thin with the busyness of Christmas. We splurge on clothes, social outings, gifts, food, wine and more. We exhaust both our wallets and energy and sometimes we complain about the stress of it all.

But really we're the lucky ones. The ones who can afford such luxuries, the ones who have the means to travel, to enjoy good food and company and even buy that special something for ourselves, whether it be an outfit, perfume, a massage or something better.

But Christmas is about so much more. It's about truly giving, not just to ourselves and those we know, but to those in NEED. To those we might pass in the street every day and not realise their plight with poverty or abuse, to those not living with their loved ones, to those in hospitals, to those with no shelter, to those in third world countries, to those with no jobs, to those who've lost everything in natural disasters. They're all every day people like you and I with one big difference - they are the ones who are really in NEED.

And there is no better gift to give, than the one we present to someone in real need.

It's easy to reach out in some small way to make a difference to the lives of others at Christmas.

Here are just a few great ways to make someone else's Christmas memorable.

The K-Mart Wishing tree:
http://wishingtree.kmart.com.au/

Kids in Care Christmas Appeal
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/10/23/4113320.htm

B105 Christmas Appeal
http://www.b105.com.au/win/b105-christmas-appeal/

Wesley Mission Christmas Appeal
http://www.wmb.org.au/news-events/news/christmas-appeal

Unicef Charity Gifts
http://www.unicef.org.au/charity-gifts/christmas-charity-gifts.aspx

GIVIT Local Charity
http://www.givit.org.au/urgently-needed-list

It's easy to search online for more charitable options so get onto google and find something that resonates with you.

Enjoy the gift of giving this year with the knowledge that you are lighting up another person's life, for one special day!