Confession.
I've been jamming to holiday tunes for a few weeks now.
Sorry I'm not sorry.
This girl right here loves her some holiday cheer. As in, wants to wrap her arms around it, deck the halls with it, tie jingle bells to her car, light the house, sprinkle holiday love all around loves the holiday season.
I am unashamed.
No, you won't find me baking up massive batches of cookies. (mostly because I hate baking cookies-they're so fussy) You won't find our calendar crowded and crossed with every community holiday event we can find. Our house doesn't turn itself into a holiday warehouse this time of year. I try to keep our gift-giving list short. I shop local and online (and will finish up most of our shopping later today!).
I will fill our house with good smells of meals we love and cook each year for the holidays. I carefully curate a list of gifts for our family and friends that doesn't include gift cards, but does include gifts I have sought out specifically for the people we love and adore. We have little traditions that have slowly become part of our lives-from buying new holiday ornaments each year for each other to making marshmallows for homemade hot cocoa on Christmas Eve.
What I love most about this time of year is the nesting my family begins to go through. By the time we reach the end of the holidays, we are prepared for the winter ahead. We are cozy and snuggly and warm. Winter winds can howl away.
So I'll happily sing my carols of joy. I'll wrap gifts as they arrive on my doorstep. I'll address cards to send to those far and near. And I will enjoy each day this season with those who fill our home. Happy holidays readers. May yours be filled with simple joys!
notes from the middle
