Less than 10 days ‘til Christmas! Here are some of my favorite things this holiday season…
1) Cookies: Does this really need to be explained? (LOL!) Who doesn’t love cookies?!? This is the first year I’ve rolled up my sleeves to do holiday baking on my own. So far, I have baked Polar Bears, Original Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies, KISSed Pretzel S’Mores, and Peanut Butter Blossoms. The house has smelled absolutely DIVINE and there have been plenty of indulgences the past few days. Over the next week, I’m hoping to find a few additional recipes to make and take to family gatherings.
2) Colorful Wrapping Paper: Gift wrapping can be a pain, BUT thanks to my favorite store, Target, and their fabulous selection of sparkly, colorful, heavy-duty wrapping paper, I have found the process to be much more enjoyable this year. I love it when the gifts under the tree match my ornaments and home décor…it really is the little things! (Warning: Wrapping paper containing glitter should only be used in one place, preferably a hard surface. Trust me on this one.)
3) Holiday Mugs: Everyone knows my favorite coffee shop is Biggby, and while I feel like a traitor even mentioning this, I’m all about transparency, so I have to admit that I am LOVING my Starbucks holiday mugs (both of which have been gifts). They are tall, comfy, and keep my coffee extra hot. Since I only use them this month, I’m not going to feel too guilty.
4) Tree Bling: I ADORE the glow of the Christmas tree – morning, noon, and night, as long as I am home, the tree is lit. I have found myself numerous times over the past couple weeks just looking at the tree in the more peaceful and quiet times we’ve had. These “moments of grace” have helped me to pause and reflect on the beauty of the season in the midst of all that is going on. If you haven’t taken a moment to do this, I highly recommend it – especially if you’re feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. It’s amazing what just a few minutes next to the tree can do for your soul!
5) Holiday Movies: I have my own collection of movies that I have started to watch to get into the Christmas spirit, including: Elf, White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, A Charlie Brown Christmas, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and Home Alone. While I’m doing things around the house in the evenings, I’ve been turning on ABC Family and enjoying the 25 Days of Christmas programs, including my personal childhood favorites: Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, and The Year Without A Santa Clause. And who doesn’t also love the Hallmark Channel and the Christmas movie marathon on AMC?!? Tonight one of my all-time favorite movies, A Christmas Carol, is on and I will be recording it on DVR and watching it very soon! Yes, some of these are sappy, but sometimes we just need to tap into our sappy sides!
6) Holiday Music: LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the music of the season, especially the oldies! I’m one of those girls who starts playing Christmas music the week of Thanksgiving. You can bet that no matter if I’m at home, at work, or driving, the Christmas tunes are on!
7) #SheReadsTruth Advent Devotional: Since December 2, I’ve been soaking in the Scriptures every morning, preparing my heart, mind, and spirit for the day we welcome and celebrate the arrival of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m a huge proponent of early morning quiet time with God, and have practiced this pretty much every day the past few years. But something about doing it this season is so much more special as I tune into verses and passages about God’s abundant love and the hope we have because of Him. As my last post mentioned, this has been a rather difficult season for some family and friends of ours. If it weren’t for my faith and the promises in the Word of God, I don’t know how I’d be able to stand after some of the news we’ve gotten. This season, I’m so blessed and thankful for a set-aside time to worship, pray, and remember God’s love and faithfulness.
Hope all of you are finding the time to enjoy your favorite things this season as well!