As I have been discussing for months (and months and months), this month, I was planning to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon, my very first half marathon. Yes, that’s right. Was planning. My well laid plans were thwarted by a stomach virus.

Looking back, even though I missed my race, the illness was perfectly timed. I wasn’t sick for either flight, and I still did enjoy the trip, though I was pretty fatigued during the latter part. More importantly, no one I traveled with got sick. Plus, as I put it to a friend, it was the first time in probably over ten years that I got sick and had my mom there to take care of me.

But even with all those good things, this was a huge bummer. I could hear the fireworks signaling the start of the race and it was so hard to not be there. Unpacking all my race gear when I got home was also rough.

I’m still running though. I signed up for a half marathon in June in Annapolis. It’s another women’s race, and even though I’m not running with anyone, I think it will be a great first half. Still running Disneyland in September, and I might go back to WDW in October to run the Inaugural Wine and Dine Half. Can’t give up now. I’m sad I will no longer qualify for Disney’s Coast to Coast Medal (apparently, W&D doesn’t count) but it will still be fun, plus it’s the 5th anniversary of that race.

Next up? Cherry Blossom 10 Miler with friends from college. We were so lazy back then. I can’t believe we’re racing together.

Yesterday’s prompt was: Tired of Santa? Create your own iconic magical figure for the holidays.

Tired of Santa?!  That’s unpossible! 

Okay, I guess I can see how it could be possible.  Plus, I’ve seen some pretty creepy pictures of kids with scary mall Santas.  No wonder those kids were crying. 

I think I really like the image of Santa though, the jolly man with the rosy cheeks who brings surprises to kids.  I’m trying to remember an old commercial where a kid (or kids) wakes up to find Santa standing by the fireplace and he winks and places a finger to his lips as he disappears. 

I think it’s the magical aspect of Santa that I love the most, and the idea that he brings joy, not so much that he brings piles and piles of presents.  (Though I do enjoy those piles of Santa presents, don’t get me wrong.)  I also love that Santa is such a mystery to children.  I miss the days of putting out carrots and cookies for Santa and his reindeer.  I wonder how my parents kept the dogs from eating Santa’s cookies.  Maybe they did eat them.  Who knows.  I still like following Santa on Norad’s Santa Tracker, and love that I can do it from my phone this year.  Santa is advanced.

So no.  I’m almost 29, but I’m not tired of Santa.  Not yet anyway.

During the holidays, there are always a million ways to give, from volunteering to small financial donations to very large financial donations.  We have one Salvation Army bell ringer at the grocery store I pass everyday on my way home who sings Christmas music while ringing his bell.  I always make a point of stopping and dropping a few coins into his kettle (Side note: what’s up with these new plastic kettles?  The act of dropping the coins in is somehow less satisfying.)

The holiday season is a time of great generosity and a time of great need.  Plus it’s also the end of the year, so people are looking to increase their tax breaks.  Sure, it might not be the most generous reason to give, but the end result is the same.

The tough part is deciding where to give.  There are families to adopt for the holidays and toys to donate to local charities.  Food banks around the country are asking for donations due to the increased number of clients.  Charities all across the globe are working to feed the hungry and provide homes and clean water and prevent violence.  And then there are the charities for the animals, from abandoned and abused pets to endangered species.  Another concern is the environment.

One person can’t give to every cause.  It’s just not possible.  So how do you choose?  And how can you bring that into your holiday giving?

One way to do so is to give gifts of giving.  At both Kiva and Network for Good, you can give a giftcard for a donation.  It’s a very cool idea, especially for the person who has everything and wants nothing, but for whom you still want to buy a little something.  You can also give a gift through an organization like Heifer International.  “Here, brother, I bought you a goat for Christmas.”  And you can always make a donation in someone’s name.  I like the idea of giving a donation gift card though, because it allows the recipient to play a part and choose where the money goes.  Two acts of giving for the price of one.