Holiday Bucket List Check-In

I’m sorry it’s been a few days since my last post! I’ve been in the middle of a wonderful writing serendipity… I feel kind of shy about it right now, so I’ll just say this: keep your fingers crossed for me!

Since Christmas is now only 6 days away (ack! How did that happen?) I thought I should check in and let you all know how I’m doing with my holiday bucket list.

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Rockefeller Center tree from the year Nick and I got engaged (he proposed in front of the tree! What can I say, the man knows how much I love Christmas).

 

2013 Holiday Bucket List Check-In:

1. Movies- Watched everything except Elf and Christmas in Connecticut, both of which I’ll get to this weekend. Also taping Meet Me In St. Louis on TCM early next week, because I have to watch the scene where Judy Garland sings “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

2. Books- I still haven’t found a holiday-themed novel, but I did find a few more compilations of Christmas stories, and I rediscovered an old favorite when I read the Art of Simple’s post on Monday. If you’ve never read “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry, please, do it now, and then read it again every year. It’s changed for me over time. When I was a teenager, I always felt sad for Della and Jim for losing their treasured possessions. When I read it this year, I believed them to be the luckiest people in the world. Despite their lack of material wealth, they know the secret to a happy marriage: putting the joys and pleasures of your spouse above your own.

3. Candles- Yankee Candle’s Sparkling Pine and Balsam & Cedar are burning every day.

4. Cookies- Baked and either frozen for Christmas or given away to my flute students. Except for the few (okay, a lot) that we ate already. (I can’t help it, they’re all really good.)

5. Light display- We went, finally, to see it (I didn’t know this before, but it won the Guinness world record for the largest residential light display in 2012) and it was AH-MAZING. I actually got giddy with happiness as we sat in our car and let the music and lights (timed to the music) wash over us.

6. Naps in front of Christmas tree- yup, several.

7. Wrapping presents- as they come in. I don’t like the look of all my wrapping stuff hanging around the dining room table, but it’s worth it not to have the chore hanging over my head, snowballing with each new package.

8. Buying presents- I’m really happy with what I got for almost everyone. I might even do a little “best of 2013” gift post after the holiday.

9. Tree-lighting at Rockefeller center- watched! I skipped over some of the musical acts, but Edwin really loved Mariah Carey!

10. We’re going to the holiday sing-along tomorrow!

11. I haven’t played duets with my mom yet, but I hope to this weekend.

As for the mental/physical health items on the list, I think I’m doing well. I decided to cut down on my goal-setting for this month to recharge my batteries. I’m still writing, exercising and checking things off lists (obviously) but I took the pressure off myself to do more, more, more. As a result, December has gone by in relaxed, beautiful slowness. I can safety say that I’ve really enjoyed every day of this season, thanks in no small part to my bucket list for reminding me to make time for holiday joys.

If you feel like you’re just racing toward the finish line, I encourage you to take these final few days until Christmas, or even until January (there are 12 days of Christmas, after all!) and think about some things you want to- not have to, WANT to- do for you and your family. They don’t have to take a lot of time, but they do have to be thought out and planned, or they’ll slip into the cracks between the things that need to get done.

You’ll hear from me again tomorrow- I’ll be reviewing Happier At Home by Gretchen Rubin for my Friday Book Review!

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