Author: HairWeavings Editorial Team

Hello, dear readers!

Christmas is nearly here!

How quickly the years go by these days. It feels like I get past one Christmas only to find the next one around the corner.

You may have realised that Christmas is no longer my favourite time of year. I have, in fact come to the point where I find it extremely stressful.

Childhood Christmases

As a child I had little expectation of lots of presents under the tree. Santa would come and leave a stocking with some fruit, a few sweets and probably some socks. Under the tree would be a present for each of us (I have 2 sisters and a brother) which we cherished.

The rest of the festivities would be about seeing family, going to Christmas mass on Christmas eve, putting up lights and the tree which was very traditional in our family. The tree went up on Christmas eve and came down 12 days later. We would have visits from friends and family and my Mum would cook an amazing Christmas dinner followed by left over with bubble and squeak on boxing day.

Our Parenthood Christmases

Even when my children were growing up, money was tight and there was no expectation that Father Christmas would leave them hoards of gifts. They always chose something that would be valued and looked after because it meant a lot to them. We would have an open house where anyone could visit and believe me, many came with food and drink for all. It wasn’t lavish but it was really enjoyable.

Christmas Nowadays

These days I feel like the meaning of Christmas has been lost amongst the frenzy to buy the latest gadget, toy or computer game on the market. I was chatting to someone with small children the other day and she shared her son wants 3 presents which are going to cost in the region of £1000.00.

Her daughter wanted presents that were more in number but not as expensive, but she felt she needed to buy more for her son as he wouldn’t have as many gifts to open. He is 10 years old. I was flabbergasted!

This while there are children and families suffering hardship.

My Own Christmas Thoughts

As I sit here wondering what to get my Grandchildren for Christmas, I wonder how many will not pay bills or amass enormous credit card debt in order to buy their child a good Christmas.

Christmas should be a time to reflect on how lucky we are to have the things that matter – family and friends that love us, a roof over our head and food on the table. It seems we have commercialized Christmas to the point where it has lost much of its meaning.

That being said, I still have fun and enjoy my time with my family who don’t have the opportunity to get together very often.

Whatever you are doing I wish you a Very Happy Christmas and a healthy and happy 2025!

Linda

Let’s Reflect:

What do you remember of your childhood Christmases? How have things changed through the years? How do you celebrate Christmas these days? Do you enter a shopping frenzy for children and grandchildren?

You’ll get major brownie points for any of these.

History was made in the finale.

January: the Olympics of “new year, new me” chaos, is coming in hot, even in the dating world. And guess what? You’ve got two weeks to plan your winning strategy.

Wait… who am I kidding? The race already started, and you’re jogging in place with a cookie in hand.

Yes, enjoy the holidays – stuff your face (I already had a piece of homemade fudge this morning…), hug your family, spoil the grandkids, and crush it at the ugly sweater party. But consider this the perfect *undercover* opportunity to get ahead.

You can deck the halls *and* draft your game plan. Multitasking? That’s just holiday spirit with ambition.

One thing is for sure, this is a great time to take more photos so we can freshen you up! So, let’s get you prepped for January fun. Click here.

1. Reflect on What You Want

Define your goals: Are you looking for a serious relationship, casual dating, or friendship?

List your deal-breakers: Know what qualities are must-haves or no-go’s.

Clarify your values: Identify what matters most to you – shared hobbies, similar life goals, or specific traits like kindness or ambition.

2. Don’t Catfish Yourself

Show up as you. That filtered, 2018 vacation photo? It’s a no. Confidence is hotter than Photoshop.

3. Snap Pics That Pop

It’s time for your glow-up! Plan a photoshoot or dig into your gallery for photos that scream, “I’m fun, approachable, and have a life.” Include a mix:

• The “Look, I’m cute!” shot
• The “I do cool things like photography” shot
• The “Dogs love me, and you should too” shot

No bathroom selfies – unless your mirror can teleport. Or fish.

And December is your iPhone opp month – no matter what you are doing – snap those baking with the kids, attending a holiday party, celebrating New Year’s Eve – you and I will have lots of photos to choose from the first week of January!

4. Bio = Bragging, But Make It Fun

Your bio should be like your favorite dessert: sweet, memorable, and impossible to resist. Sprinkle in humor, like:

• “Fluent in movie quotes and fluent-ish in cooking (ask my smoke detector).”
• “I’ll show you the world – through my camera lens.”

Leave a little mystery – because nobody likes a spoiler.

5. Sharpen Your Icebreaker Game

Ditch the generic, “Hey, what’s up?” Instead, prep fun starters like:

• “What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever Googled?”
• “Best gift you got for Christmas? Mine was……”

Remember, wit wins hearts.

6. Timing Is Everything

Don’t rush. The right match might be a few swipes away – or might take a month. Stay patient and have fun!

7. Channel Main-Character Energy

Glow up season starts now!

Try a new look, treat yourself to a self-care routine, and remind yourself: you’re the total package. Confidence (without arrogance) is your secret weapon – so is the fact you love dogs. That’s always a bonus.

Come January, you’ll be swiping with style, confidence, and an “I’ve got this” smile. Let the games begin!

Questions:

What new dating strategies are you going to try in 2025? Now that much verification is done online and ghosting is at all time lows, are you willing to give online dating another chance? Do you think you are too old for a partner? (Hint: I just had an 85-year-old man re-marry, and I went to his wedding!)

Jane Fonda caught my attention the other day. It was not because she is a beautiful successful woman, which she is.

And no, I didn’t meet her in person. That would have been nice, but that didn’t happen.

I saw her on television, doing a segment on the CBS Sunday Morning show (December 1, 2024) on healthy aging. She talked about how positive views of aging can help us live longer and healthier. Maybe she read the earlier post I wrote about these ideas. Not likely, but I remain ever hopeful.

Thriving at 86, Jane Fonda is definitely an expert and lives the example she sets for others. I always admire people who do more than talk. She walks the walk and does the work. And it has paid off for her.

A Long and Distinguished Career

Jane Seymour Fonda is a well-known American actress and activist. Over six decades of work in film, television and theatre, she has earned two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to Grammy and Tony Award nominations.

Plus, she has earned four lifetime achievement awards. And this is only part of her large body of work and accomplishment.

Jane Fonda is not done yet. It doesn’t even seem like she is slowing down.

So how does she do it?

5 Ways That Help Jane Fonda Thrive

The Third Act, New Beginnings

In her mid-70s, Fonda gave a stirring talk at TEDX Women (2012). She described her “third act” as the last three decades of life. She emphasized that this period can be a time of growth, self-discovery, and increased well-being.

Just two years ago, she finished up seven seasons of the Netflix series Grace and Frankie in the lead role of Grace. After that, she starred in three films.

With this concept of the third act, Fonda challenges the traditional view of aging as decline and instead presents it as a unique opportunity for personal growth, self-reflection, and positive societal impact. This is how she approaches her later years.

Positive Views on Aging

As noted above, Jane Fonda did a segment on CBS Sunday Morning and was joined by anti-ageism advocate Ashton Applewhite. They discussed a Yale study showing that older people with more positive beliefs about aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those who associated aging with disease and decline. (You can find more about the study here.)

Fonda works hard to see and bring about positive views about herself, even into her 80s. In her talks, she fights against negative stereotypes portrayed in the media. She is also careful not to internalize such negative views. Applying these erroneous ideas to ourselves can sometimes lead to the most harm.

Continuous Learning

Jane Fonda suggests that we keep learning as a way to improve our physical and mental health. Most importantly, she suggests that we keep learning about ourselves and our past and present relationships.

Fonda suggests that the task of the third act is to “finish up the task of finishing ourselves” by reviewing our lives, gaining new perspectives on past experiences, and potentially changing our relationship with the past.

In her own life, she works hard to stop blaming herself for events from the past, including sexual assaults and toxic relationships.

Caring About Women and the World

Jane Fonda cares and does whatever she can to help. Throughout her life, she has been actively fighting injustices wherever she sees them. She never hesitates to speak up, even now.

In her 60s, along with Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem, she co-founded the Women’s Media Center. This organization works to amplify the voices of women in the media through advocacy, media and leadership training, and the creation of original content.

Fonda believes that older women are the largest demographic in the world. Older women can learn to embrace this opportunity for self-discovery, learning, and positive change and can provide an example for younger generations. And keep themselves feeling younger at the same time.

Embrace a Growth Mindset

Jane Fonda’s growth mindset is one of her superpowers. She believes that adopting a growth mindset is crucial for personal development in the third act (and all throughout life). This way of seeing yourself and the world involves:

• Believing in your ability to learn and grow at any age.
• Viewing challenges as opportunities for learning rather than obstacles.
• Embracing the idea that your skills and abilities can be developed through effort and persistence, even later in life.

She has had many setbacks and hardships in her life. But she keeps going.

An Important insight

In her 40s, Fonda was dreading getting old. But once in her 50s and now in her 80s, she has never been happier. She experiences a powerful feeling of well-being in her third act.

She notes that being inside “oldness” reduces fear, and one realizes they are still themselves, perhaps even more so.

I think it is important to keep moving physically, mentally and emotionally. Jane Fonda has done some incredible things well into her 80s. But, as Michelle Obama has said, “You don’t always have to go big.”

The little ways to help one another can be just as meaningful.

Let’s Start a Conversation:

Can you think of how Jane Fonda’s ideas might help in your life? Are you making sure that you don’t buy into any negative views you see around you? Are you being careful not to limit yourself when there is no need to?

Editor’s Note: Top image by Ted Eytan – 2019.12.06 Fire Drill Fridays, Washington, DC USA 340 60031, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link.