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One Little Christmas Tree

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Last Minute To-Dos

I’m a list person, so right now, the weekend before Christmas is a good time to take a look at what I have left to do: Buy the last few gifts for the family. Confirm plans for Christmas Eve and Day. Take advantage of the stores that are already putting Christmas stuff on clearance! Go grocery shopping (Christmas breakfast, Christmas dinner, cookie ingredients, usual weekly stock-up) Make…

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Ugly Sweater Day

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Wrapped Up

We wrapped our gifts today, which is something that I really love doing for some reason. I love piling the wrapped gifts under the tree and watching the pile grow.  I love thinking about each person that we bought these gifts for and imagining how they will enjoy receiving them. I love the sight of a beautifully lit tree with a stack of gifts under it. It’s the image that really reminds me that…

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Christmas Ship Misadventure

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Tiny Smile Makers

I’ve been making these sweet little gift boxes filled with candy for my co-workers lately. They are so cute and tiny and everyone just loves getting them. So far, they’ve received ghosts for Halloween, turkeys for Thanksgiving, and now penguins for Christmas. The penguins are extra special because our mascot is the penguin and I was so excited to finally get the dies to make them. Everyone loves…

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Dinner with a Friend

I spent some time with my friend, Barbara, tonight. We get together once a month, usually going to dinner and then just hanging out, talking and watching TV together. We’ve been getting together like this for years now, many years, going back to when I was still single. Spending time with her is an important part of my routine and I value and treasure each time.  Jeff says we are boring because…

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Photos With Santa

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New Traditions

Jeff and I made peppermintinis and watched Die Hard tonight. It was fun to let our hair down and be silly together. It was really Jeff’s idea. He suggested we make the drinks, and then he picked the movie. And since all the other movies he’s picked lately have been for me, I decided to indulge him.  Peppermintinis are amazing. White Chocolate Liqueur, Peppermint Schnapps, vodka, chocolate and…

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Hear the Children Singing

We went to see our nieces in their school Christmas program. It was fun to be invited to see them perform. The girls are so sweet and were very happy to have us there.  The program was cute. First, the pre-K through 1st graders sang some songs and talked about the story of Jesus’s birth. They even had a little nativity scene going on off to the side. So sweet to see those itty-bitty kids up…

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Christmas Movies

What is it about Christmas movies that make us want to watch them over and over and over again, year after year after year? Jeff and I watched some of our favorite Christmas movies tonight. We have a stack of DVDs, plus access to dozens of other movies through the many streaming services we use. And yet we continue to watch the same handful of movies every year. Sure, we branch out and try one…

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An Attitude of Gratitude

I have a special friend in my life. His name is Marvelous and he lives in Nigeria. We met last year and we have spent the year talking and sharing about our very different lives. We talk about our families, our daily life, the government, God, our dreams. I’ve learned so much from him. He’s got such a strong and happy spirit, it’s hard not to be encouraged by him. He inspires me to be…

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One Day in December

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Christmas Cookies

My plans tonight got cancelled, so I took the opportunity to start my seasonal baking. Every year I make cookies for the neighbors for Christmas and I like to try out some of my cookie recipes beforehand. Jeff doesn’t appreciate me keeping dozens of cookies around the house because he always ends up eating too many, so I tend to make them and then give them to my co-workers and friends. I like…

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The Spirit of Giving

Jeff and I had an interesting conversation the other day about what the spirit of Christmas means. It started when Jeff commented on how December always feels so different from other months of the year. He asked me if it was just him, or if I felt it too. I said I feel it, that it’s what is commonly referred to as the spirit of Christmas: peace on earth, goodwill to all, and all that. He mused…

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Tis the Season To Be Crafty

Jeff and I are both pretty crafty and artsy people. He likes to build and work with wood, while my specialty is paper crafts. And December is the perfect chance for us to use our talents for others. Jeff likes making decorations for the house and he is making something for our house, as well as for the houses of our family. He wants to get it finished early so we can give them out and the family…

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Cozy is. . .

. . .  A quiet Friday night at home with nothing to do but enjoy the evening. Outside is dark and cold, but inside is bright and warm. The heater is running, the tree is twinkling, and the living room is softly lit with Christmas lights and candles. I’m wrapped in my favorite blanket. We have many blankets to choose from, but this one is the one I grab every time. It was a white elephant gift…