For me, the Christmas spirit begins with the wonderful moment when we bring the Christmas tree to the house. This green forest beauty, fragrant and still alive, is a beloved guest in our home. It soon transforms into a respected fairy queen, dressed up by loving hands with a gorgeous, colourful and sparkling dress. We give her the most important and honoured place in the room. Every day we admire our Christmas tree.

We proudly show her off to our guests. We are all waiting for something beautiful and wonderful to happen. Christmas is so close!

I entangle the tree from the top to the bottom with a long garland of coloured lights. When we turn it on, colourful sparkles reflect in the dark evening window. Countless small bulbs of red and blue playfully wink at us from behind the green branches.

But some of them are burnt out and look dark and sad.

And I think, this is like my garland of the outgoing year. Long strands of sunny and happy days are combined with tough, difficult and arduous days. Some are vivid, bright and joyful, and glow in my memory. These I will never forget. I recall the special events that will warm me for many years.

I thought about my last year and realised that the most precious memories were not associated with travel, gifts, new clothes or other material things. The most valuable things that happened to me were acts of kindness and generosity from other people. Friends who brought into my life love, joy and care. Family who helped me to cope with and overcome enormous difficulties. Nurses in the hospital who noticed that I was sad and gave me a smile, a genuine hug, took my hand and told me, “We are here for you”. Someone who consoled me when I was crying. They made those dark days special and unique. They helped me to light the bright bulbs of my soul.

How can I thank them for this spiritual light? What special words can I find? How do I let them know that their care and love saved me? How to tell them how much I appreciate having them in my life?

Perhaps, I write a letter, instead of sending a soulless e-mail? And In that letter I attach a photo of my family, and a drawing by my stepdaughter. Maybe, I enclose a delicate oleander flower, or send a book or a gift? Or even just call people who live far away and tell them how much I love them?

I finger the blown bulbs on my garland and decide to forget about my sad and difficult days of this past year. What was the cause of them? Myself, unforeseen circumstances, people? Was it possible to have had less of them? Of course, it was! But these days are already in the past, I have lived through them. I remind myself that our life goes in only one direction — forward. Nothing can be reversed.

Christmas is the perfect time to make a peace treaty with your past.

We must first find the strength to forgive ourselves for our mistakes. One has to stop thinking that my life could have taken a different path if not for the choices I made.

At the time, we thought we were doing our best.

The new year is a good excuse for me to say goodbye to all those negative events and thoughts. Another year has passed and I do not feel older! I think about how many years are still to come, how wonderful a gift it is to live, to share your life with others and to make your own exciting plans.

Merry Christmas, my dear readers! Have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones!

Put special gifts under your gorgeous Christmas tree, and enjoy the bright and beautiful lights of the shining garland that is your life.

•Nina London is a certified wellness and weight-management coach. Her mission is to support and inspire mature women to make positive changes in their body and mind.

Share your inspirational stories with her here: www.ninalondon.com