Last night, I was honored to attend a family solstice tradition.

By candlelight, following a celebratory meal, we exchanged handmade gifts: soaps, ingredients to make root beer, tea blends and sachets designed for travel, hand-knitted cloth, framed photos to capture a 2016 memory, chocolate truffles, a year of monthly dates, each thoughtful gift given with care and a story.

Not all of my holiday gifts this year are handmade. I've been focused on building my first e-course. I'm nervous, scared, worried, and excited. I fly to Madrid via London on January 4 and 30 days in Madrid debuts January 16. I can't wait to share my vision and perspective on slow travel and seeing the world.

Whether you're a world traveler and find yourself at home this year or you're simply into e-courses, no preparation is required to join me on the road for four weeks in Spain.

If you want to move the log jam in your head or honor the whisper in your soul, or if someone on your giving list needs the gift of inspiration this season, 30 days in Madrid could be four weeks of daily soul travel you need to launch dreams in 2017.

I have wonderful memories of snowy, cold holidays caroling with my German class in our small Wisconsin town.

Neighbors sometimes visited to thank my family for decorating our Christmas tree in the front bay window of the Victorian we lived in because it had been so many years since they'd seen lights there.

Whatever your solstice tradition, I hope you enjoy watching my friends' tree preparation as much as I did. A surprise visitor joined in the festivities.