Christmas is soon approaching and with that a time of sharing, love and appreciation. For most people it’s a time of gathering and reconnecting, a time for the family, a time when we put aside old conflicts and show compassion and care for each other instead. Christmas is also celebration and good food, presents, the glow in the eyes of children, singing, excitement, relaxation, good company and prayer and spirituality.
At the same time Christmas is one of the toughest times for those who have no family, for those who live on the fringes of the regular society, for those who cannot afford presents to their children, for those who live in despair, for those who starve—for all those for which Christmas is a reminder of all what they don’t have. We who have may use Christmas to somehow show compassion and love for those who don’t have. That would really be within the notion of what Christmas is supposed to be. I would like to challenge you all—and myself included—to do at least one good deed, and it doesn’t have to be big, that will make one or more of those for which Christmas is a hard time, feel somewhat part of the celebration, feel somewhat part of the sharing that Christmas is suppose to be.
On a personal level I will use the opportunity to thank everybody of you, who have followed this blog and given feedback and tremendous support, who have given so much of yourselves through my blog. You have truly inspired me to keep posting and make me feel what I am doing is appreciated and more than just scribbles for myself.
Merry Christmas to all of you.
In Flow with Otto 
Merry Christmas, Otto and Happy Holidays! 🙂
Thank you, Marina, and likewise to you. Happy Holidays!
🙂 🙂
Happy Holidays
Thank you, Lee. Happy Holidays to you, too.
Merry Christmas Otto to you and your loved ones. I will accept the challenge and be on the look-out for opportunities to give back.
Thank you for accepting the challenge. Merry Christmas, Jane.
Merry Christmas Otto 🎄☃️
A purposeful life. That is what you share with so many…and that would include me. Thank you, Otto. Happy Christmas to you and yours…Raye
Thank you, Raye. Merry Christmas to you, too.
Thank you, Holly. Merry Christmas to you, too.
hope you have a good holiday as well
Thank you, Sherri – and likewise.
That’s a good seasonal message – it can be a tough time of year indeed. Thank you, Otto! And best wishes.
Thank you, Lynn. Best wishes to you, too.
Thank you for a very compassionate post, Otto. It is really those who live without, who need the gifts of Christmas. Love, warmth, food, shelter.
Well said. Thank you, Linda.
Merry Christmas, Otto!
Thank you Dale. Merry Christmas to you, too.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Otto!
Thank you, Sue. Merry Christmas to you, too.
Thank you, Otto!
Good end of the year!
Thank you, Francis.
Merry Christmas! You’re so right to remember the people who have a hard time dealing with holidays. Sometimes the best thing to give someone is a smile and understanding.
Smile and understand are great gifts. Thank you, Linda. Merry Christmas to you, too.
Happy holidays to you as well.
Thank you, Christopher. Happy Holidays to you, too.
Happy Holidays, Otto, thank you for sharing your photos and your thoughts, and it is indeed the time to remind ourselves to be generous with our time and contributions.
(One quick edit to fix a typo: “at least one good deed,” I don’t think we should be killing anything but a bottle of wine! 🙂 )
Thanks for the well wishing and for pointing out the typo. No we don’t need an any dead… Happy Holidays to you too, Robert.
A wonderful thought, Otto, and truly in the spirit of Christmas. I will try to make someone’s life better this Christmas. 🙂 🙂 I love your image too. May I wish you and family much joy in the days ahead.
Thank you, Jo, both for the well wishing and accepting my challenge. Merry Christmas to you, too.
🤗💕
Merry Christmas!
Thank you. Merry Christmas to you, too
Merry Christmas to you, Otto!
Thank you, Lois. Merry Christmas to you, too
Merry Christmas, Otto. Thanks for an excellent read, and I support your challenge!
Thank you, Frank. Merry Christmas to you, too
Merry Christmas to you, Otto, thank you for sharing all of your wonderful work, it is very inspiring.
Thank you for the well wishing and the encouraging words, Cornelia. Merry Christmas to you, too
Otto, thank you for this very thought provoking post. We often forget how hard this time of year is for millions of people who have so little. I have already started doing some good deeds and donations to the homeless in our town. I guess every little helps. I am looking forward to have a family gathering and particularly having my children visiting. Merry Christmas to you and your family😄
Really great that you are doing some good deeds and donations. Every effort helps. Thank you, Gilda. Merry Christmas to you, too
Merry Christmas, Otto!! and of course your work is appreciated!! we love you!
Thank you, Elaine. Your words make me bush. Merry Christmas to you, too
All best wishes, Otto, and more power to your creative endeavours in 2020.
Thank you, Tish. All the best for 2020 to you, too
I share your thoughts and feelings totally Otto. Thank you also for your thought-provoking posts throughout the year and for your helpful observations on my pictures.
Best wishes to you for the festive season and the coming year.
Thank you, Louis, for the well wishing and the lovely words. May you have a wonderful holiday season and a coming year, too.
Thank you, Otto, and may you and your family have an enjoyable festive season and some quality time together. I have enjoyed your posts enormously and continue to gain inspiration and ideas from all those posts – words and images – despite minimal photography these days.
For me, Christmas is a time to spend on the internet with my overseas friends with chronic severe illness – housebound and even, bedbound. I know some very lonely people, for whom, Christmas is a time of sadness at all the quality of life they have lost and had to only dream about for 20, 30 or more years. They’ve lost partners, family, quality of life and the ability to engage in normal activities, a job/career and so much more. Many are destitute and living below the poverty line. So while I will spend a short time with family, I really like to communicate with the ‘lost souls’ whom no one sees or cares about – the invisible people.
What a great deed you are doing, Vicki, communicating with friends and people who need some connection. Thank you. Merry Christmas to you, too.
Happy winter holidays and see you in the New Year.
Thank you, Sally. Happy Holidays to you, too
Happy holidays to you, Otto!
Thank you, Greta. Happy Holidays to you, too.
Thank you for the challenge Otto. Really, to act in spreading goodwill. Peace to you and all, and thanks for your sharing your spirit of creativity.
Thank you, Bruce. I wish all the best for you, too. Hopefully we will get to meet next year!
This was such a lovely post, dear Otto, and for sure you go through life remembering to speak kind words not only to your students and peers and loved ones but also to those often-unseen servers.
A lone man cleans the streets at night. He picks up trash people toss, and his is a thankless job and few people even know he’s there at night and pushing a bulky cart on two wheels. I gave him a dollar (coin) which shocked him, and I said, ‘Thank you for what you do each night…” Then I reached home and later read your post. THEN I wanted to race down the streets and give him a bit more!
Thank you for influencing others in small and large ways! Feliz Navidad!
Thank you for reaching out to those who hardly ever get appreciated. And for the lovely sentiment in this comment. Feliz Navidad to you too, Lisa.
I think all of your readers will agree that you’re a kind and generous and gifted teacher. Thank you, Otto. Feliz Navidad y pass the gallo pinto, por favor!
Merry Christmas, Otto!
Thank you Julie. May you have a wonderful 2020.
Best wishes for you and your loved ones at Christmas. I hope it is all you hope it will be and all it is meant to be.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and photographs. You help to inspire me and for that I am grateful.
And thank you for the encouraging words. I hope you will have wonderful 2020.
You certainly practice what you preach, Otto. Your encouragement and sharing of perspectives and techniques obviously have helped innumerable people, and I’m glad to be one of them. You do a fine job of making clear how the camera can open different worlds, so in the spirit of cultural boundary-crossing, I’ll just say God Jul og a Godt Nytt År!
Thank you so much for your lovely words. Godt nyttår, Linda.
I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays! 🙂
I have enjoyed the holidays so far, being on the road. Happy New Year to you Julie.
Well said, Otto. Happy New Year!
Thank you, Ellen. Happy New Year to you, too.
I hope your Christmas Holidays were wonderful and that you enjoyed some time with your family. Only the best for you and yours in 2020, Otto.
I indeed had a wonderful holiday, thank you, Michelle. I hope likewise. Wish you all the best for the new year.