MON | Dec. 19 – #AMonthofFaves This is How We Do Christmas. How do you get into the holiday spirit? Are you decorating, cooking, have certain traditions? What are you gifting this year (if anything)? Tell us all about how you plan to enjoy this holiday.
GirlXOXO
This past week was a whirlwind precisely because the holiday was very different for me and my family this year. I’ve been in Florida for the past two weeks (and will be here an additional week) to be close to my daughter who is completing an internship here and to have a do over visit with my parents since we didn’t get to hang out with them during the summer because we caught Covid. I did a combo Christmas/birthday celebration with my parents and daughter last week (my mom’s birthday is actually today). And because my mom loves me, she brought their tree for the hotel room! There was no oven in the room, so we decorated while eating gingerbread cookies from Insomnia Cookies.
My daughter had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the friend I’m staying with was expecting relatives in town so we had plans to have a big to-do yesterday that got derailed because plans changed. However, we did do some festivities those two days which, of course, included Jólabókaflóð–even if that, too, looked a little different.
We did Jólabókaflóð on Christmas morning instead of Christmas Eve since my daughter worked really late on Christmas Eve and after dinner it was too late to get into the whole books and reading thing. Since we were on limited time (my daughter had to go into work Christmas afternoon), my friend suggested we do a graphic novel exchange so the likelihood of finishing the books would be greater. Since my daughter was at work, that meant we couldn’t pull names out of a hat, so my friend’s older daughter and I–who have a pretty good handle on what everybody likes to read and are also excellent book pickers–went to the comic bookstore and Barnes & Noble to pick out graphic novels for everyone. This worked out really well and everyone was happy with their books. We got the following:
- Squire by Sara Alfa for the epic lover
- They Called Us Enemy by George Takei for the history buff
- Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu – for the person who likes YA
- a Teen Titan collection – for the reluctant reader
- MPLS Sound by Hannibal Tabu and Joseph Phillip Illidge – for the music lover
- Gotham High by Melissa de la Cruz – for the person who likes Batman/YA
My friend also planned for us to do a kind of secret Santa gift giving where we picked one person’s name and then all went shopping at TJ Maxx/Target to create a gift basket for them with a price range of $30-40. We did this on the 27th and exchanged gifts immediately when we got home. It was really fun and interesting, especially seeing the different ways people filled out their cards.
And last night, my friend’s daughter wanted to go see some Christmas lights, so we wound up going to the botanical gardens where they were doing an Asian Lantern Festival. So, not quite Christmas lights but same energy.
Oh, and another very cool thing I was able to do this year is go to the Candlelight Processional at Epcot, which was phenomenal. Neil Patrick Harris was the narrator.
But some things never change and that’s my round up of commemorative ornaments, even if I won’t be putting some of them onto the tree until next year.
My daughter went to Greece last year.
I went to Mexico and got this ornament that has designs going all the way around.
I visited Panama City Beach with my parents.
I stayed at this Dutch hotel when I went to Florida for my daughter’s graduation. This design was everywhere.
My daughter wanted to go to Universal Studios Florida as her graduation gift, so I got this flat globe since the one from Universal Studios Hollywood is 3D. The Florida park is superior, though.
I went to see Book of Mormon.
And, finally, my daughter is doing an internship at Disney World, so of course I visited and of course I had to get an ornament (or two..or four).
I only planned to get this key since I have one from Disneyland, and I am a person who appreciates symmetry.
But then I saw the Mickey ears with the graduation cap which works on ~levels~ because my daughter graduated this year and is part of the Disney College Program.
Then I visited her at work, and she was working an event with Safari Mickey so I bought this one for her since that one represents the first time at her internship she has truly been happy.
And, finally, I got this one because it’s Christmas season, I’m at Disney World, and the ornament is just plain adorable.
I hope everyone is having a very happy holiday season! I cannot believe this year is almost over. I’m not ready. Ack!
The Englishist 