A new friend came over a few weeks ago to pick up her teen after a sleepover, and this is what she brought: a fragrant bunch of rosemary tied with brown string.

I ran a vase of water, placed the rosemary on the kitchen table. Every time I walked by, I bent down to inhale her kindness, her garden.

It was a special gift.

This year, I’m trying to remember the little things, the simple things.

• Sharing leaves from my kaffir lime tree for other people’s curries.

• Gifting extra copies of my latest book to a women’s shelter to add to their holiday packs.

• Making chicken noodle soup for a son recovering from surgery…even when I know he might prefer a chicken burger and chips.

Simple gifts from the heart are ours to give any time.

They don’t cost a lot but they feel like gold. This holiday season, I’m going to try to give more good cheer, more thoughtfulness, more hope, more change. For some new-but-not-yet-friends, I’m going to give a little piece of me…

If you have a second to think about it today, consider what you have in your hands and home that you might want to give from the heart.

Some of you paint (I know you do). Some of you bake beautifully. Some of you organise and teach classes. These are all beautiful gifts to share — a voucher for your online course, a gift card, a wrapped cake, a herb bouquet.

We’ve got this holiday season. We can do it simply, with so much love.

Enjoy your Friday. I hope you have a relaxing weekend, with lots of time to sip hot drinks and dream.

Love Catherine x

PS.

I have two fabulous friends with two businesses I’d love to share today. Both women are vibrant, talented and so much fun to be around. Ready to meet them? (These are friends, not #ads…women who I know you’ll love. I wish all of us here at Love Our Age could sit down and have a big, noisy morning tea together. I know you’d like each other!)

• Jules Van Mil at Style For Life has fabulous and practical styling tips for women. Her latest online class, The Secrets of Casual Elegance, happens on Nov 28 (Canada & America) and Nov 29 (Australia). Jules is in Australia.

• Colleen Kavanaugh is here at Your Life, Styled — her new biz that helps us get organised and find calm & joy. Colleen is in America. Her instagram is so inspiring!