For the most part I’ve been a very good girl this year, more nice than naughty and I’ve generally tried to be a better person throughout the year. By Santa standards that should qualify me for plenty of loot under the Christmas tree but the truth is I don’t want or need a single thing. I’m incredibly lucky and the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.

This was not always the case. In fact, it’s the bumps in the road of life that make us truly appreciate the good times. Boomers are now reaching the age where we’re losing friends, partners and family members at an increasing rate. Where we once spent a lot of time and money attending bridal showers, fancy weddings and baby showers, we now attend too many ‘celebrations of life’. Which is why I’m celebrating the life I have now, every single day.

Over the years, holiday arrangements with family and friends gradually evolved toward less gift-giving and more sharing of good times. I’ve even heard about parents withholding some Christmas and birthday gifts from the grandchildren because they already have too much and don’t appreciate it. We still remember the younger grandchildren in our family with gifts from Santa but that’s only until they’re launched. Everyone has more than enough in material goods and we no longer need to populate landfill with our accumulated and discarded frivolous consumption.

Within the last couple of years, the final vestige of gift-giving for birthdays among my circle of girlfriends was finally abandoned in favour of a group lunch which is ‘way more fun. We don’t need or want any more tchotchkes and prefer a funny card and ‘ladies lunch’ with a glass or two of lovely wine (depending on who’s driving). It’s a luxury and a privilege to have the time to do these things now.

And not having to troll the crowded, over-heated stores and malls for questionable gifts that will only end up at a charity shop has been incredibly freeing. No more Secret Santa exercises and no more heart attacks and bouts of depression when we get our January Visa statement. Not only do we not miss the gifts, we now have more money for those lunches. And, how much does one really need when we have each other? That’s more than enough by anyone’s standards.

So, to wrap up, dear Santa, here’s my wish list for this year:

• Love, caring and an end to the violence for all victims of abuse.
• A warm, safe bed and home for the homeless.
• Free medical care for the sick and ailing.
• Plenty of healthy food for the hungry.
• Hope for the hopeless.
• Love and a safe environment for all the world’s children.
• Could you possibly make the world’s politicians stop bickering and work toward a common good, the good of the people not themselves.
• More kindness toward our fellow human beings.
• Peace on earth . . .

. . . and to all a good night.

Thank you!