5 Things I'm Loving Right Now - Holiday Edition

It's been a while since I done a "5 Things" post, so I think a holiday edition is appropriate. I love all things about the holiday season, but here are a few favorites!

1. Christmas Lists

If you haven't guessed from this ongoing blog post theme, I like lists. A lot. So Christmas Lists are the BEST. I love when Amazon picks out 10 things they think I would like to own. I couldn't stop smiling on the day of Oprah's favorite things. The "Gift Issue" of InStyle magazine? Heaven.
I love investigating, discovering, and prioritizing the items that belong on a Christmas list. (Thanks to Anne, for helping me discover these gems of a gift. Gloves that are compatible with touch screens and are adorable? A perfect find.)
To make sure I don't sound totally selfish, I must clarify that I don't mean I like lists simply for people to buy me things. I've made lists of possibly perfect gifts for each of my family members. And, some may call them "spam" but I actually read each of the "Great Gift Ideas!" emails that arrive in my inbox from my favorite retailers. You brides and your registries...JEALOUS.

2. Mulling Spices

On a recent visit to the Biltmore Estate, I purchased a bag of Wassail after my mom informed me wassail is the same as mulling spices. And, after 1, maybe 3, samples of it in cider. Whether you call them wassail (is that singular or plural?) or "mulling spices" (like Williams-Sonoma and I do), they are delicious. In wine, in tea, in cider, in wine again. Nothing makes you feel more festive than filling your home with the smell of these spices and drinking hot apple cider while you watch the classic "White Christmas." Ok, fine, I was actually drinking mulled wine and watching Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Nonetheless, still wonderful.




3. Christmas Lights

I'm talking Griswald Christmas lights.
I have a dream to own a house in a nice neighborhood and, for one month out of the year, totally tackify it up. While giant inflatable Christmas figures have seem to become the norm, I'm partial to the old-school lights. I appreciate the effort it takes to cover a house and the surrounding greenery with frustrating strings of light. I like to see who uses white vs multi-color and who dares to mixx the two in a creative design scheme. You can't help but smile when you drive down the street and see that one family that really went above and beyond to show its dedication to the secular Christmas decorations. Extra kudos to the houses that boast a "light-up" nativity amongst their decor. Way to keep real.

4. "All I Want For Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey
What's that you say? Annoying? Overplayed? To that I say, shove it. This song rocks. And you only have to hear 6 weeks out of the year. If only that were true for Ke$ha.

5. Family Traditions
I'm sort of the tradition Nazi of the family. (I'm not sure you're supposed to use the term "Nazi" in regards to Christmas). However, I'm only that way when it comes to Christmastime. I don't make a big deal about traditions any other time of the year. And, I recognize that many of our traditions are pretty trivial but they weren't I was little and so I don't think they are now.

                                                      Here's the standard agenda for our holiday...

- Christmas Eve: dinner together, church at 8, viewing of National 
Lampoon's Christmas  Vacation or A Christmas Story, cookies for 
Santa, cheesy matching pajamas for me and my sister, in bed early.
- Christmas Morning: wake up early. (like, really early), go through our stockings, open the presents under the tree, eat a big delicious breakfast in the dining room in our pajamas, take a nap.

Don't try to deviate. I'll put up a fight. Of course, over the years, some traditions have been added, but very few have changed or been eliminated. I think my bro-in-law had a hard time when he realized we really did mean that we were going to wake up at 6:30 Christmas morning. But, my sister and I straightened him out. (Right, Pete?) Some traditions are no longer necessary (matching pajamas are totally necessary) but we keep them around for the fun of the holiday. Growing up, we could never go downstairs until my dad had gone down to tell that everything was set and Santa had come (I don't know what I thought we would've done if Santa hadn't come). Then, my dad would be ready with the video camera when we came running down the stairs and into the living room. Now, we're in a one story house (and even though I live in the same city, I still sleep at home on Christmas Eve) but we still wait for Dad to give the "all clear." Not necessary, but why not?Christmas is a time for family and no family is more fun on Christmas that ours, in my humble opinion.