Festive Thoughts

Posted on December 23rd, 2016

I’m a pretty pragmatic and analytical person, constantly looking for the most efficient, effective, optimal approach to any situation.  At the holidays, all of that goes out the window.  It’s perfectly reasonable to order gifts for loved ones from afar on the websites of reputable retailers, select the gift wrapping option, and check everyone off your list within an hour.  But the old fashioned way is undeniably more romantic.  Collecting gifts, wrapping them with coordinating paper and hand-written gift tags, and shipping them or packing them in your own version of Santa’s sack for a cross country journey gives a TLC element with which the internet cannot compete.  We proudly brought presents for my family and placed them under my parents’  tree, and I love thinking of Ian’s family opening our big box of gifts in Virginia.

To bump up the schmaltz, I wrapped the gifts while wearing a sweater my mom knit in 1978.  The sweater doesn’t fit well– the sleeves are too short– and it’s painfully itchy.  Also, for obvious reasons, it’s my favorite sweater.

Otherwise, here are the other festive thoughts swirling around my cluttered brain…

…if you need to bring a Christmas side dish, I tested this sweet potato dish a few weeks ago, it’s delicious, and I’m planning on making it for my family on Sunday.  (and I made these cookies, among others, for Santa today, too!)  Anything with marshmallows is an easy sell.

…if you need to get a gift card for that person you just couldn’t figure out, pair it with a tasty treat or a bottle of wine to make it feel more intentional.

…I forgot how much I love Love Actually.  Ian and I watched it on our flight from Seattle to New York, and it’s even better than I remembered.  Which one is your favorite plot line?  I think I would cast my vote for the PM.  “Ruthless trained killers are just a phone call away.”  Nothing like that movie to remind us that love is, actually, all around.

…these shoes have been fabulous for running around the city on a zillion errands.

…if you want to feel inadequate about your creative talents, here’s a collection of this year’s best gingerbread houses.  I went to the Harry Potter- themed Gingerbread Village in Seattle, and it was– dare I say– magical.

Our New York trip is off to a fun start!  Can’t wait for the excitement the holiday weekend has in store.