“Merry Christmas Everyone - Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men”

“WE, OF Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book.”

Adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous

“Lack of power, that was our dilemma. we had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power? Well, that's exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem.”

Adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous

A.A. 's Twelve Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole.

Adapted from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

“The joy of Christmas is the intuition that all limitations to growth into higher states of consciousness have been overcome. The divine light cuts across all darkness, prejudice, preconceived ideas, prepackaged values, false expectations, phoniness and hypocrisy. It presents us with the truth. To act out of the truth is to make Christ grow not only in ourselves, but in others. Thus, the humdrum duties and events of daily life become sacramental, shot through with eternal implications. This is what we celebrate in the liturgy. The kairos, “the appointed time,” is now. According to Paul, “Now is the time of salvation,” that is, now is the time when the whole of the divine mercy is available. Now is the time to risk further growth.”

Adapted from The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living

A.A. Thought for the Day “Many alcoholics will be saying today: "This is a good Christmas for me." They will be looking back over past Christmases, which were not like this one. They will be thanking God for their sobriety and their newfound life. They will be thinking about how their lives were changed when they came into A.A. They will be thinking that perhaps God let them live through all the hazards of their drinking careers, when they were perhaps often close to death, in order that they might be used by Him in the great work of A.A. Is this a happy Christmas for me? Meditation for the Day The kingdom of heaven is also for the lowly, the sinners, and the repentant. "And they presented unto him gifts - gold, frankincense, and myrrh." Bring your gifts of gold - your money and material possessions. Bring your frankincense - the consecration of your life to a worthy cause. Bring your myrrh - your sympathy and understanding and help. Lay them all at the feet of God and let Him have full use of them. Prayer for the Day I pray that I may be truly thankful on this Christmas Day. I pray that I may bring my gifts and lay them on the altar.”

Adapted from Twenty-Four Hours a Day© 1975, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.

“Gratitude is just about the finest attribute we can have, and how deeply we of AA realize this at Christmastime. Together, we count and ponder our blessings of life, of service, of love. In these distraught times, we have been enabled to find an always increasing measure of peace within ourselves. Together with all here at AA’s General Service Office, Lois joins me in warmest greetings to each and all of you, and we share our confident faith that the year to come will be counted among the best that our Fellowship has ever known.”

Adapted from The Language Of The Heart

“Give something to those who are having trouble, to those whose thoughts are confused, something of your sympathy, your prayers, your time, your love, your thought, yourself. Then give of your own confidence, as you have had it given to you by the grace of God. Give of yourself and of your loving sympathy. Give your best to those who need it and will accept it. Remember that the giving of advice can never take the place of giving of yourself. I pray that as I have received, so may I give. I pray that I may have the right answer to those who are confused.”

Adapted from Twenty-Four Hours a Day© 1975, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.