Tag: christmas

#AMonthofFaves This Is How I Did Christmas in 2022

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.

Continue reading “#AMonthofFaves This Is How I Did Christmas in 2022” →

#AMonthofFaves 2021 Ornament Update

Today’s prompt:

FRI | Dec. 17 – #AMonthofFaves – This is How We Do Christmas (traditions, decorations, food, gifts, etc.)⁠
⁠

GirlXOXO

It’s holiday traditions time so here’s my annual round up of commemorative ornaments. Last year was very busy before the lockdown, and this year was a toe dip back into the world. I did some cautious traveling and, of course, got an annual pass to Disneyland, and that’s what’s reflected in my ornaments.

Continue reading “#AMonthofFaves 2021 Ornament Update” →

#AMonthofFaves Holiday Book and Ornament Traditions

A Month of Faves! Get into it!

⭐ DEC 18 – Favorite Things [Holiday Edition]⁠
(Treats, Traditions, Books, Movies, Songs, Decorations, Activities, etc)⁠

Today, I’m going to focus on traditions since I don’t really have anything new to report about the other stuff, and my traditions also include activities ✅ and decorations ✅. I haven’t watched any of the new Christmas movies and my old ones haven’t changed. I have no new treats to report. I haven’t heard any new Christmas songs except for that Sia one, and I do like it but I’ve only heard it twice and only because I watched the video.

Jólabókaflóð, the Yule Book Flood

Hello, my new favorite tradition is (of course) Jólabókaflóð, the Yule Book Flood wherein you exchange books on Christmas Eve and read while eating snacks. Last year was my first year participating when I was at my friend’s house, and it was a fun whirlwind of a doozy. This year will be much more lowkey since there are only three of us. The plan is for each person to buy the other two people books and then read while drinking hot cocoa and eating cookies/snacks. We initially pulled names out of a hat, but both girls were like, “Why can’t we just buy books for everybody?” and so that’s what we’re going to do.

Ornaments

And, of course, I am continuing my own personal tradition of commemorative ornaments.

This year, I added the following ornaments to my tree:

Continue reading “#AMonthofFaves Holiday Book and Ornament Traditions” →

#AMonthofFaves This Is How I Holiday Away From Home

FRI. Dec. 20 – #AMonthofFaves This is How We Holiday – Rep your home’s holiday look, share pictures of your holiday decorations. Christmas tree, your favorite holiday traditions, holiday festivities, favorite ornaments, places to go, holiday drinks, holiday eats, holiday themed reads.

I’m visiting my friend for Christmas this year, which means I’m doing things a little bit differently.

For one, she has decided that we’re going to participate in the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod (or Christmas Book Flood). She has a voucher from a local used bookshop, so everyone (me, her, her husband, and the four kids–“kids” even though three of them are grown) are all going to put our names in a hat, draw a name, and then go to the bookstore and pick a book for that person. Then, we’re going to make hot cocoa and sit around and read on actual Christmas Eve.

Continue reading “#AMonthofFaves This Is How I Holiday Away From Home” →

#AMonthofFaves This Is How I Ornament

amonthoffaves2

#AMonthofFaves This is How We Holiday – Rep your home’s holiday look, share pictures of your holiday decorations. Christmas tree, your favorite holiday traditions, holiday festivities, favorite ornaments, places to go, holiday drinks, holiday eats, holiday themed reads.

Today, I’m going to highlight some of my favorite holiday ornaments! A few years ago, I was talking to a woman who told me that most of the ornaments on her family’s tree were from vacations they had taken, and ever since then I have tried to get an ornament when I travel/visit somewhere. (If I can’t, I try to get a magnet.) I also have some ornaments that have other memories attached, and I love all of them so much more than the ones I just bought on a whim because they were pretty or whatever.

This year, when I decorated my tree, it made me so happy to see the different places I had been and experiences I’d had. I mean, I had forgotten I went to Disneyland this year, which is just wild, but my ornament reminded me!

Continue reading “#AMonthofFaves This Is How I Ornament” →

#AMonthofFaves 2018 Christmas Wish List

amonthoffaves2

Today’s Yesterday’s prompt:

#AMonthofFaves On Our Holiday Wishlist – There’s nothing wrong with putting what you want out in the universe. So share! What’s on your list – whether you’re hoping for it now, or saving to get it later.

1. A DRESSER

Continue reading “#AMonthofFaves 2018 Christmas Wish List” →

Christmas, Books, and Movies

I’m feeling a little out of it today (maybe I need some protein?) so I’m going to keep this week’s update pretty short.

1. I hope everyone had a merry Christmas yesterday (or a happy Monday). As previously mentioned, my daughter and I are at my friend’s house for the break, so it’s nice spending time with both of them (and my friend’s family). We opened presents and napped and cooked and ate and then played games.

two thumbs up, fine holiday fun
source

Continue reading “Christmas, Books, and Movies” →

2017 Christmas Wish List

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these on my blog (since my LiveJournal days, perhaps?) but they’re always a lot of fun. I didn’t go shopping or buy anything today minus two small care package items for my daughter, so consider this my contribution to the rampant consumerism of Black Friday.

All pictures are from the items’ respective sites.

1. Harry Potter Enchanted Sky full/queen duvet cover and two matching shams (PBTeen)

harry-potter-enchanted-night-sky-duvet-cover-sham-1-c

Continue reading “2017 Christmas Wish List” →

Well, this got ranty. On errands.

I have a coworker who said she likes to spend her Saturday actually relaxing and not just running errands. Alas, I am not there yet. Or, at least, I’m not there at this point in the semester.

So yes, today was errand-running day. I went to Target and the grocery store. But I did also make time for self-care: I got a pedicure and put my wreath up on the door.

Christmas
source

I was inspired by my neighbor who has his wreath up, and it is gorgeous. Every time I walk by it, I am just so happy. (This is also part of why I went to Target–I needed to get a new hanger for the door.)

Continue reading “Well, this got ranty. On errands.” →

It’s Monday & I had a very merry Christmas

So Christmas was good here. It was very low-key. My daughter is home this year (she usually goes away), and we exchanged gifts around midday. (I had to wake her up–also par for the course with that one). I also spent most of the day cooking. Here’s something interesting: apparently, I *can* cook when I *want* to.

I made ham, macaroni and cheese, collard greens (using this recipe), and sweet potatoes. For dessert, I made an apple cake using my grandmother’s recipe, which I haven’t made in a long time. To make things interesting, I iced it using this caramel sauce. Everything turned out awesome. My daughter (who, as a general rule, hates everything I cook) loved everything, and my dad made sure to get some collard greens for the road. That was nice, especially since I was most worried about how they would turn out.

Continue reading “It’s Monday & I had a very merry Christmas” →