Connected Christmas { Mama Denise }

Please join us in reading our final Mama interview in our {Connected Christmas Series } with our dear friend Mama Denise.

Please tell us a little about yourself and your family. You can choose to include who makes up your family, the ages of your children, and whether you live in an urban or rural setting.

My name is Denise, I am the owner and operator of Return to Wellness, Denise’s Healing Touch Therapy. I offer yoga classes each week to children and adults. As well I offer other healing services. As well my daughter and I operate Olive Park Yarns, which is an indy dyed yarn service. We hand dye yarn, and the best thing is we do it together! My husband and I have been married for 30 yrs, and have two children. Our daughter is 24 yrs of age, and our son is no longer with us, he passed away 11 yrs ago. So my answer to this is we have two children, one is with us on this earth, the other is an angel and with us in Spirit.

Please tell us about a favourite holiday tradition, including how it came to be.

Family traditions were decorating the house inside and outside, attending Christmas concerts, and of course travel as our familes are from outside of Manitoba. The time was always jam packed, but fun to see everyone that we see so seldom.

What is your favourite holiday memory?

Watching the excitement prior to Christmas, setting out cookies for Santa, and just the season with small children in the house.

What is the best present you have either given or received? What made it special?

Any gift that is hand made is always my favourite gift. My grandfather made me a wooden puppet one year when I was very young. He was a maker as well, this gift has a special place in my heart.

Please share what you find a challenge or a struggle over the holidays.

Decorating the house, setting up the Christmas tree and christmas music is a challenge. Since the passing of our son, Christmas in general is a challenge. Each year is different, some are easier to get through, some are simply a struggle. In general we choose to do less. Infact this will be the first Christmas that we will set up a Christmas tree! New tree, new decorations, we just had to change it up!


Please share any tips, tricks, or advice you have for other mamas, related to the holidays.

When people say enjoy them when they are little, ….its true, but you will make new traditions along the way. Let them stay up late, eat the chocolate and have YOUR egg nog…just enjoy it. And hopefully you get some downtime..that is necessary for all I think. Do less with what you have, and just enjoy.

If there is anything else you would like to share about your family, how you celebrate the holidays, or how you stay connected, please include it here.

Our family stays connected with technology, its just the way it works for us, since we live all over Canada and the U.S. A Skype visit is just as good as the real thing…we keep saying that because it just makes us all feel better when we do!

Thank you Denise for sharing!

JOYCREW , we will wrap up the series for you with a recap of how we did with our intentions this year!

Merry Christmas!

XO Missy + Mel
The Joyful Life Co.