Learning to Love the Holidays

I'm going to get something off my chest here... I'm usually the person grumbling during the holidays. It's not that I don't like giving gifts or people being happy, it's that I don't like extra full parking lots, people lining up on Black Friday willing to trample each other and honestly, until a week before Christmas I don't really like Christmas music.

For the past couple of years I've been working on making my attitude better. Last year my siblings and I surprised my mom with a Christmas tree one night and I watched my favorite Christmas movies (Love Actually and Elf) a week or two before the big day. The day of I went up to LA to my Uncle's house and they always have a great time, so improvements had been made.

This year I'm taking it to the next level. The Christmas I want to celebrate is about time with friends and family. It's about memories, not lines, grumpiness and frustration.
This is what has happened so far:
- a visit to Bates Nut Farm. While the actual event was lackluster, I was with friends and had a good time laughing at what they called a hayride and a Christmas tree.
- made my first batches of holiday treats to give, pumpkin nutella bread and candied almonds... both turned out Deliiicious (if I do say so myself). I'm so excited.
- planned and bought the supplies for the gifts I am doing this year, the sweets named above and a couple special little things
- read by the tree
- searched for a mini tree for my room. Unfortunately the two targets I went to were out so I bought a big comfy scarf instead.
- went to two holiday parties
- bought some scented pine cones in place of a mini tree... at least my room smells festive

There are still more plans in the works and I can honestly say I'm enjoying the season. I'm still not excited about the Christmas music though... that one is going to take more time.

xoxo