09 Dec Traditions, Outfits, and How You Create the Holiday You Want

Good morning friends,

The Holidays are just around the bend, and do you start to get anxiety the day after Thanksgiving? I’m sharing what I do to make Christmas the Holiday I want, as well as sharing my potential outfits and traditions that make it special.

I have always loved choosing and giving gifts. It remains something I look forward to, as finding something special for someone means something to me.

• The cookbook for the hubby that loves all the kitchen gadgets, buys the food for his Thermomix kitchen tool, and gets joy out of making a great meal. ( its the gift that keeps on giving!)
• The mom who has taken care of all of us and loves music, and theatre. We recently gave her an “early Christmas gift to the Sound of Music, here in Charlotte, as memories are the gift of a lifetime.

On another note,  I look forward to dressing up the doggies in their reindeer sweaters and Santa Suits. THAT brings me joy! Little does Danny know, I bought him those colored buttons you see all over social media. The original, created by a speech therapist, teaches dogs to use the buttons for most spoken words- play, outside, food etc, but you customize with your voice! I am going to have fun with that whether Danny learns it or not.

We can make the Holidays as chaotic or as peaceful as we like. Remember that. Before you go crazy, stressing about your gifts, what the menu is, how many events you have to attend, take stock of what you really want it to be.

Traditions make the Holidays special as well. Coming from a Ukrainian heritage, we would have battered fish and perogies with a vegetable, for Christmas Eve. We are keeping up this tradition at my sister’s house this year, even though Eastern European food isn’t easy to find here in Charlotte. I do know of 2 little old ladies who still make perogies in Pittsburgh, and I can order on-line! We also put down a Ukrainian table runner and set a special setting. Memories of my Pap, “making me”, now I say, “suggesting” that I eat Kutya, a poppyseed, honey mixture that I did not like as a child, surfaces.

Waking up early and running downstairs as 6 am just doesn’t happen when you don’t have kids, and we know as adults, we can wake up to a nice warm breakfast, and gradually open gifts with each other, (although I would get a kick out of seeing my hubby run down the stairs to see what Santa brought

This will be the first year without Truffles in almost 16 years. It will be Danny boys first Christmas. So, Although I miss Truffy with all my heart, I will keep up the tradition of dressing them in Reindeer sweaters for Christmas Eve, Santa Suits for Christmas Day, and have them rifle through their stockings for treats and toys.

When company comes, I love to dress to the nines! Take out that velvet dress and chandelier earrings! Make it special!

Think about how you want to spend the Holidays. If you enjoy seeing the lights, perhaps instead of waiting in big lines to view Christmas lights, drive around your nearby neighborhoods to see what the neighbors have decorated. Utilize morning time to do some guided meditation. I do this if not everyday, every other day normally, and it is a way to calm down your nervous system and anxiety.

Instead of making everything yourself for your family on Christmas day, have your family member bring a dish. It will be less for you to do, and a bit more relaxing.

Keep the meaning of the Holiday as what is important! Christ being born on this day is a Celebration! No one really needs to go crazy over buying “the perfect gift” but think of the true meaning and being with family.

The Holidays can be how you want it, make it special in your own way.

Have a great weekend!

Jess xx