Now is the season of magic and miracle, madness and mayhem.

This year, I'm working harder to focus on the ineffable spirit that makes the holidays in Cincinnati so marvelous. I know that it is more important than ever to remind you and me that the gift of time is still the best you can give.

One in five Americans has some form of disability, and that means there is at least one such person on everyone's shopping list.

An aunt with multiple sclerosis, a nephew with impaired hearing, a brother who has difficulty sitting still, a mom who can no longer see well enough to drive.

Sweaters, books and toys are great, but the most dependable way to bring joy - particularly to those in your life who have more difficulty than most keeping up with the frenetic holiday pace - is to give you, yourself, and your time in some palpable form.

Tramping around a Christmas tree farm and inhaling the wonderful fragrance of Canaan firs was my first trick for re-initializing my love of Christmas.

If a tree farm outing is too taxing for your friend or loved one, scheduling a Christmas Eve drive around town to admire festive houses, the zoo's Festival of Lights, or the stimulating song of a nearby midnight church service can be an extraordinary gift.

No matter how disconnected or harried you might feel, there's nothing like little Natalie Wood's mantra of "believe, I believe," in the back seat of that car with her mom and Uncle Fred, to stimulate memories of magic.

Bringing your favorite corny old Christmas video to share with someone whose disability prohibits running around in crowded malls or freezing carriage rides can go a long way toward resurrecting your own "I believe" quotient.

Suggesting a game of Scrabble or Clue can create a one-on-one rendezvous with a relative of any age. So can baking and decorating cookies. If concentrating on a game or the fine motor skills of cookie decorating are hindered by disability, bring an instrument or pile of Christmas music CD's for an impromptu sing-along.

For many people with disabilities, transportation is a major concern. Helping someone get last-minute shopping can be a tremendous gift.

For others, someone with the patience to play a game at a slower pace or the dexterity to assist with hanging ornaments on a tree can be far more rewarding than any expensive toy or treat.

St. Paul's familiar advice, "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances, give thanks ..." still works pretty well.

Rejoice in those we love, with or without disabilities; "pray" by celebrating time spent together, and "give thanks" that we can still find the magic and miracle if we inhale the fragrances around us and sit still for a minute in the presence of those we love.

Contact Deborah Kendrick by phone: 673-4474; fax: 321-6430; e-mail:dkkendrick@earthlink.net.