Hello December 1st! I wanted to take quick moment and tell you that I want to do all the things with you this month. I want to make a thousand cookies and go Christmas caroling while bundled up in my favorite scarf. I want to visit Zoo Lights and Snowflake Lane, Holiday Lights and all the neighborhoods with Christmas extravaganza. I want to watch White Christmas, Elf, and Babes In Toyland … on repeat, all day e’ry day. I want each and every one of my presents to make Pinterest envious. Homemade gift tags and precise wrapping with ribbons and sparkles and fresh evergreen sprigs. I want my tree decor to scream “ANTHRO!”. I want to ring the Salvation Army bell, buy 100 pigs and medical kits through World Vision and outfit everyone with the greatest wool socks they’ve ever felt on their feet. I want to read the Christmas Story while my littles sit enraptured by how amazing God’s gifts are to us. Oh, and I want peppermint schnapps hot cocoa. Morning, noon, and night :) Eggnog too. Oh lordy, talk about God’s gifts, eggnog come to mama!
Anyways, December, you get the idea. My heart wants to jam pack all 31 of your days with pure magic and joy and all things Christmas. But, my mind says – no way, drop those candy canes and take a deep breath. Or four. Girl, you just can’t do it all, so pick your pleasure and enjoy the few things that can make this season memorable.
Oh, okay. Perspective, patience, peace. All good Christmas things too.
And so, I’m counting down to Christmas with just a few holiday bucket list items. They’re sure to be fun and for me, I think if I can focus on just a handful of projects, we’ll all be much happier.
- Santa photos … we’ve managed to squeeze this in the last 4 years and I absolutely treasure the growth, smiles, and yes, tears, we can see from year to year.
- Essential oil project … of course! I’m working on a few DIY gift projects (like this!) and want to put my cinnamon or peppermint to use in a recipe or two.
- Blog break … this, I’m excited for! I have so many non-writing, non-computer projects in the works and I want to devote some evenings to them. Christmas seems like the perfect time to take a breather.
- Cinnamon ornaments … these got bumped from my list last year, so they’re for sure happening soon!
- Read 25 books … not novels! That would be a crazy feat. I’m talkin’ kid’s Christmas books, one a day from the 1st through the 25th.
- Operation Christmas Child … with the November due date for these amazing boxes I already have one of my Christmas things done! We love doing this annually and now I’ll just keep my eye out for deals on little treasures for our box for next year.
- Surprise our mailman … I get a lot of things in the mail. Our mailman deserves an extra high five and he’s going to get it from me!
- Go to the Nutcracker … I haven’t been in years and that’s changing in 2014! Jem and I have tickets for her dance studio’s show next week!
- Make gingersnaps … these cookies scream Christmas to me. And Jem and I both love cookies, so it seems like an obvious choice.
- Take a Christmas light drive … we may have 2 in the works, but 1 will happen for sure!
Here’s to a calm Christmas where we can focus on family and the true reason we’re celebrating. I, for one, could let go of the busyness this season brings, take some deep breaths, and relax before 2015 arrives. So, if we don’t get lights on the eaves or plan a huge Christmas feast, well, it will still be a very, merry Christmas.