According to The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, "Importance [certainly has] long been attached to the Twelve Days, when, for instance, the weather on each day was carefully observed to see what it would be in the corresponding month of the coming year."
Well if that is true, looking at the 2 week forecast for the UK, it's going to be a dry spring, cloudy summer and heavy rain in September. I guess there may be something in this after all? If I look at the forecast for Canada that would give us snow in July and August so maybe as a folk law it only works in Blighty.
So, these 12 days are meant to represent a cessation of work and 12 feast days as we say thank you for the year past and set things in place for a great year ahead. Judging by the number of Out Of Office emails I got yesterday the cessation of work is certainly true. I have ceased work for the week and am in that limbo of too tired to do anything, too bored to sit still. Earlier this week someone refered to that as having a "monkey brain"...always moving and bouncing around. Sounds about right.
Christmas Day tomorrow. Three days ago I double checked with my husband that we were invoking the $25 a present rule ( I have bought him a DVD, who said romance was dead!). "Oh no, that was last year when we had no money" he told me. Crap! What to buy, what to buy? And how funny that he thinks we now have money, bless him. He reminded me that he wants a new razor but could I find the model anywhere? No. So yesterday, defeated, I emailed him at work to go to Walmart and buy it and I'll wrap it up. I found the present that he bought me hidden in the wardrobe. By accident...honest. It's wrapped up so I can't see what it is but the smart money is on one of those coffee machines that you put capsules in. Ooh I hope so.
So back to 12 days and 12 months...every year for the last five years I have created a vision board for the year ahead. Sounds weird maybe but I believe that if you visualize and articulate what you want it will happen. Some say that it is the universe responding to your rhythms, others that the frontal part of your brain is now consciously seeking what you want. Whichever, thinking about it and planning it will make it happen. They say "be careful what you wish for" and that is why.
This year for the first time I also created a 12 month wall of activities...post it notes of fun stuff that I want to do each month. I was staring at that wall planner earlier...it's huge, 5 foot by 4 foot. And I have completed 38 of the things posted this year, just three things undone, maybe 2.5 because sometimes opportunities come along that are not quite what you wished for, but an interpretation of that wish. If you fancy trying this visualization and planning then my friend Louise runs a cool online course starting next month. There is a link to it on the right of this page. I have taken it twice...it's a really great way to live the life you want rather than have days passing and you are flowing with the tide.
Next week I will visualize 2015...don't leave any magazines lying around as I will be ripping and tearing. Scissors? No way, I do it old school.
Merry Christmas!
