This Christmas

I stand in the living room, the sound of Christmas music playing through my headphones and a football game dancing across the TV screen. In front of me sits a line of totes, each filled with their own assortment of seasonal decorations that I’ve collected over the years. A feeling of anticipation builds as I prepare to decorate the apartment for Christmas, and I do my best to not feel overwhelmed with the task at hand. My anticipation quickly morphs into excitement as I open the first tote and catch a glimpse of the festive red and green décor, and smell the familiar scent of Christmas candles slowly wafting into the air. At once I am filled with nostalgia from Christmases past, and renewed encouragement for this Christmas season to come.

If you have read a few of my previous posts, you will know that this year I have been challenging myself to not only find the small joys in each day, but also take time to appreciate them. So when deciding what to write for this Christmas blog, I decided to continue that challenge by sharing a few of the joys I have been thankful for so far this season. 

This Christmas has already looked different than ones before, for many reasons including living in a new city and (warmer) state, sharing a home with my no longer long-distance boyfriend, and taking a break from the full-time work of the corporate world. For these reasons I wanted to continue one of our simple traditions, visiting a local Christmas Pop-Up Bar. Thankfully, pop-up bars are very trendy, making it easy to find some fun options in the area. Ultimately we decided on Blitzen’s Bar in Oklahoma City. Visiting these themed bars together every Christmas season has become one of my favorite traditions, creating an ideal time to pause and enjoy the magic of the season. 

While adjusting to living in a different location with landscapes and a climate I am not used to during this time of year, I have been looking for seasonal details in nature that emphasize for me it’s Christmastime. I was not expecting it, but one of the most common plants I have seen around town is holly bushes, festively filled with their pointy leaves and bright red berries. Before moving here, I had only seen these bushes in person once in my life and they did not have their signature red berries yet. As a result, these bushes have provided a fun nod to the holidays for me as the theme for all my Christmas décor is Holly & Berries.

I have always loved the idea of Christmas cards and have been, not so patiently, waiting for the time when I could send my own. I thought this year would be a good opportunity to send our first card with my boyfriend and I sharing our first Christmas season together. After this realization, I was very excited and wasted no time in preparing and sending out our first Christmas card. While stuffing and addressing each envelope it brought joy to think about the friends and family on our list, and hoping that their year and holiday season has been fulfilling. Receiving Christmas cards has also filled our recent days with little moments of joy each time we check the mail and see a new one waiting to be opened.

Gift giving is one of my favorite ways to express my appreciation for all the special people in my life, especially at Christmas time. Typically I will go all out and purchase several gifts for all my immediate family, but this year had to look a little different without the steady income of a full time job. Alternatively, I decided to make most of my gifts. With this, I traded in all the hours I usually spend searching for the best deals or gift ideas, for brainstorming and crafting personalized gifts for almost each person on my list. Along with adjusting my thinking on gift giving overall, making gifts this season has also provided an unexpected way to slow down and more intentionally enjoy the process of giving.

The last thing that’s been on my mind this Christmas season, is how different this time of year can feel as an adult compared the overwhelming anticipation and excitement one could feel as a child. I would be lying if I said I haven’t spent several years hoping and trying to recreate these same feelings as an adult. Instead, I have come to realize that all I needed was a shift of perspective. The anticipation and excitement I now feel is focused around traveling to mine and my boyfriend’s parent’s houses to spend a few days with each of our families celebrating Christmastime. Each year we are creating new traditions, sticking with a few old ones, and finding that Christmas magic in the moments we are all together. Which reminds me of one of my favorite Christmas songs “Christmas Magic” by Jordy Searcy, and the lyrics I have been resonating with a lot this year that sum up my feelings on this Christmas Season perfectly: “and I’d be alright if all my Christmases felt just a little like this”. 

As we are beginning our Christmas celebrations with our families and this Christmas Season will soon come to a close, I’m learning that joy doesn’t ask for much, just a little space to be noticed. With that, I will leave you with the encouragement to also take a moment today to notice the small joys all around you.

Wishing you the Merriest Christmas and a Restful New Year!