My favorite things about December

Hello December. Oh how I love thee.

Everything about this time of year is magical. Everything is so romantic and beautiful. People are kind and kids are happy. It almost makes me forget what a year we’ve had. 🥴 ALMOST.

Here are some of my favorite things about December.

DECORATIONS:

I absolutely love all of the decorations. The lights, the blow ups, and all of the decked out yards make me smile. They make my heart happy and it just makes everything brighter and better.

We go out almost every night to see who decorated or to look for new displays. Our neighborhood really outdid themselves this year. But there are so many free and paid drive thru lights that are spectacular as well. I just can’t get enough.

MUSIC:

Who does not like the music? Oh my goodness. I look forward to 93.9 and their holiday music all season long. I am not religious and I don’t even celebrate Christmas per se but the Christmas songs are my jam. My family is very diverse so I grew up with most of these songs and I know them all by heart. I just love it. I love the spirit it evokes. I love the beats. I love the messages. I love it all.

DRINKS:

Give me all of the winter drinks. I live for a good hot chocolate after a nice, brisk winter walk. Topped with homemade whipped cream. Yum. But recently I have tried the Chestnut Praline and the Caramel Brulee Lattes from Starbucks and I must say, they were equally fantastic. Great job SB.

BAKING:

Okay, okay. So this may be my FAVORITE part of December. The baking. We love cookies around here and there is just something about this time of year that makes even regular or store bought cookies taste decadent. Recently I came across a super easy, yet rich and insanely addicting cookie recipe and I will have to share that on the blog asap. But in the meantime, you can check out a preview on my Instagram page. FOUR ingredients and you will be the queen of the next party. But wait – there is more. The ultimate Christmas fudge takes the cake.

PARADES:

I miss the parades so much. We made it a tradition to attend at least one parade during the season and this year (thanks COVID), we saw none. I am so bummed but staying safe is definitely more important. I know we will make it all up in 2021.

SLEDDING:

We live in the Midwest and you really never know what kind of weather we will get. But one thing you can always count on is snow. That’s the beauty and magic of the season. I love getting all bundled up with the kids and just hitting the hills. Literally. Even if it’s for 20 minutes. All of the laughing and giggling is worth freezing for.

GIVING:

I wake up very grateful every single day. I count my blessings all year long. But this time of year especially. The thought of families, kids and elders, not having a home, food or clothes makes my soul hurt. I do and will continue to give back as much as I possibly can and hope that I am not on the receiving end one day. But if I ever am, I know there are still plenty of people who care in this world. Plenty.

NEW YEARS EVE:

So, this is the main event of the year for many. But for us it is THE event of the year. We look forward to this celebration all year long. It is our Christmas. Our Santa makes a visit on New Year’s Day. It is the day our kids dream about all year. They prep and plan for it for months. It is the end of what I hope will be the last crazy pandemic ever. But also a beginning of a new, healthier and stronger year.

Those are just some of the reasons why I love this season. But there is plenty to still be thankful for and so many ways to enjoy this time of year. Take the time to learn something new. Be a friend. Reach out to family and be a better human.

x,