/ dress / boots / bag /

December is always a crazy month full of excitement and wonder, lots of Hallmark Christmas movies, and, if we’re being honest here, a bit of stress haha. I can’t believe I’m posting this at the end of 2018 (where did the year go??), but here’s my list of the 5 things I’m most looking forward to this month:

1. Baby’s First Christmas

I always love the holiday season and get super sentimental during the month of December. Add a baby in the mix and it’s literally “all of the feels” ha.  I’m trying to resist buying too many “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments and outfits, but I’m struggling. I know the real fun will start in a couple of years when we get to play Santa, but I can’t help but to enjoy some “Christmas magic” now. I want to start a few traditions this year that we can carry on throughout Bodie’s life and be able to share with him one day that we’ve been doing this -or-that since his very first Christmas. 

As we do every year, we bought a big “fresh cut” tree for our family room (named Jiminy VI, since it’s the sixth Christmas tree we’ve bought together, and we name all of them “Jiminy,” like “Jiminy Christmas”). For the first time, though, we decided to also buy a living Christmas tree – our little “Bodie tree.” It’s about two feet tall and is in the cutest container with its root ball wrapped safely in burlap. The special part is that after the holidays, we will plant this tree and watch it grow to maturity in the coming the years. How special that we will always be able to go out and look at Bodie’s first Christmas tree! I am so excited about this and it gives me all the mama sentiment. 

2. Gingerbread House Competition

So this post sat in draft mode a little too long (oops) and this event has now come and gone (happened last night), but it was just as fun as I expected. A group of our friends got together at our house for a little friendly competition to see who could build and decorate the best gingerbread house. We left the voting up to the public by sticking it on social media. Voting is still open for a few more hours, but I think Luke and I are going to win. We all wore pajamas, ate pizza, played Christmas vinyl records, and had the best time. There’s just something about this time of year that makes hosting get-togethers all the more delightful. 

3. Gift Giving and Giving Back

It’s no great revelation to say that Christmas in our culture has largely shifted away from celebrating Christ’s birth and toward materialism and self-centeredness. While many of us are enjoying nice gifts or mingling at Christmas soirees, there are so many around us who are just trying to figure out how to pay bills and/or praying they will be able to eat a meal on Christmas day. Especially during a season that is all about Christ, it’s a wonderful time to share His love by meeting the needs of others.

While exchanging gifts and loving on others is great (and not at all out-of-line with the Scriptures), I feel the Lord has really been working on my heart this season to notice and care about those who have far less than I do. In line with that, Luke and I decided to take the money that we would normally use on gifts for each other and instead use it to help those in need in our community. I don’t need anything, but there are so many folks that do. While there is so much fun in this season in the hustle and bustle, the baking of cookies, the opening gifts with loved ones, etc., the true meaning of this holiday is Jesus. I want to celebrate Him and I want to share Him – doing some good for people in need around me is a great way to do that. As everyone knows, the gift-giver often gets much more joy than the gift-receiver, and I’m so excited to experience this firsthand this Christmas.

4. Christmas Cards

One of my favorite things to do in December every year is to open the mailbox. It is just too fun to get cards in from old friends, new friends, and family. I love reading updates and looking at the pictures. This is a Christmas “tradition” that so many people do, and I hope it never fades away. I also love snail mail and Christmas cards are a great reason to send and receive some every year. We’re behind in this department (per usual), but ours are coming! We took our pictures last week with a local photographer. She’s finishing up edits and then I’ll place my online order and ship them off quick. Thinking I might do a Christmas and New Year’s greeting this time around haha… what do you think?

5. Wedding Weekend in ATL for a Sweet Friend

One of my best friends from college is getting married at the end of the month. The whole weekend is sure to be beautiful and I’m so excited for her to be entering into this new chapter. It’s also going to be a fun little getaway for Luke and I, as we have decided to leave Bodie with his parents for the weekend (we think – I still feel a little stressed about this and we haven’t made a final decision, but I know he will be in good hands if we go through with it). Mama’s how did you handle leaving your baby with someone else overnight for the first time?

I hope you’re enjoying all the festivities of the season with your loved ones. xoxo.