NEW CHRISTMAS BOOK RELEASES

You can read the synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ My December Darling by Lauren Asher 

+ Christmas at Hogwarts by J.K. Rowling

+ The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore 

+ How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn 

What are you currently reading?

**LINKS TO ALL BOOKS + MY FULL READING LIST HERE**

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas! It has been a weekend full of cooking, wrapping and spending time with loved ones. In the midst of all the chaos, I wanted to take a little moment to really reflect on the holiday weekend. Christmas always brings me a feeling of joy and nostalgia, however there always seems to be a little bit of underlying sadness. It seems to come and go all too quickly. It can also be a taxing, stressful time. Every year I look forward to the holiday season but also find myself feeling a little emotionally drained. I know for me a lot of that comes down to trying to create my ideal, "perfect" Christmas. I "need" to do all of these specific things in my own mind to create Christmas, but really that's all misguided. At the end of the day, what you eat, where you are or how many gifts you receive/gift has little importance. 

Despite that, somehow those things still manage to work their way up to the top of my holiday to-do list each year. I also find a lot of enjoyment in doing them, however I know I owe Jesus all of the recognition. He really is the reason for the season and why we're able and want to do these activities. I don't think he would want us to be k*lling ourselves or stressed out to do them like we often are, though. Even today, I found myself feeling exhausted and worn out from cooking and getting all of my last minute gifts wrapped. I needed to take a little step back and remind myself that today is in fact, for and about Him, not me. I also took some time to reflect on how blessed I am for the true joy, peace and hope He brings to my life each day. Being able to spend the holiday weekend with my loved ones in honor of Jesus is a prime example.  I know we all have different circumstances and therefore that can look different for everyone. I know he touches each of us differently and regardless of whether you spent the holidays surrounded by others or not, you're never alone when you walk with Him. 

We're now just a week away from 2024 which means a brand new year and a fresh start are coming! Hopefully this upcoming week will be relaxing and full of rest for you. It's our last little hurrah before diving into those New Year's resolutions. I'm wishing peace and love for you during the holiday season!

What are your plans for the week?

MY HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST

A little throwback of my tree for encouragement, hah!

Every year I like to make a little bucket list with all of the holiday activities I want to do leading up to Christmas. This year's is probably pretty close to being the same as last year but I like to map out my game plan. I love the festive activities but the season always goes by so quickly that it's impossible to get everything I want/"need" done. Ya'll know I also work in retail which makes things harder when it comes to my schedule and if we're being honest, my overall mental energy. Ya girl is tired, ok? We're tired but trying, lol. Right now the list is everything that I think I can realistically do to enjoy the holidays + get in the spirit. 

MY HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST

+DECORATE MY TREE - Putting up a Christmas tree seems easy (and obvious) enough, however it definitely takes some motivation on my end. I don't just work in retail during the holidays, I also sell a lot of seasonal Christmas merchandise and trees. I LOVE that, however by the end of the work day I just want to relaaaxxx and do nothing. I don't always feel mentally or physically motivated to drag my tree out and spend hours decorating. I love the end result and enjoy the process once I'm knee deep in glitter, I just need a little extra push to get going. 

+PUT UP CHRISTMAS LIGHTS - Alongside of that is doing outside lights/decorations. Love the look- need a little bit of motivation to get going. If all goes well, I'm planning on just diving into everything this week. I like to do it earlier so that it's out of the way + I have longer to enjoy it all. 

+BAKE CHRISTMAS COOKIES - I'm slowly establishing my own little tradition of baking Christmas cookies every year. I think this year will be my third or fourth year making homemade sugar cookies which I always do a day or two before Christmas. They are so delicious and fun, just a LOT of work. For me it's the decorating that is the most time consuming- maybe one day I'll be a pro! 

+BUY//WRAP GIFTS - I just started buying gifts this week which means I need to get a move on! I'm definitely a habitual shopper + wrapper. Every year I tell myself to wrap as I go which NEVER happens. Maybe this will be the year? I need a system where as soon as I buy something, I wrap it up. 

+HOLIDAY MOVIES - I'm proud to say I've started early this year with this one!! So far I've watched two Christmas movies. I always love to watch the new Netflix/"Hallmarky" romance ones as well as the classics. There are so many good ones, I wish I had time to watch one every day in December. 

+CHRISTMAS LIGHTS - Always a must-do is driving around to look at Christmas lights. It's so much fun and in a weird way, a little nostalgic? I don't know if it's because we always went as kids or if just the Christmas lights in general feel nostalgic. I love seeing how everyone decorates and gets into the spirit! It really is amazing and special how many people go all out and celebrate for the holidays. 

+ DONATE//GIVE - This isn't something I've really ever talked about on the blog but one of my goals for the holiday season is to give back more. With the state of the world, it just feels like we could all use a little more good and positivity right now. I also think I need it, too. Whether you spread a word of encouragement, volunteer your time or donate monetarily- it does something good for both others and your soul. You can feel it, as strange as that may sound. I use to feel like I couldn't offer much to make a difference but now I think we can all do something, even if it feels small or insignificant. 

What's your favorite holiday tradition or activity?

CHRISTMAS COOKBOOKS I HAVE MY EYE ON

CHRISTMAS COOKBOOKS I LOVE

You can read the synopsis + shop each one by clicking on the title below: 

Baking for the Holidays: 50+ Treats for a Festive Season by Sarah Kieffer

Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season by Jessica Strand & Ren Fuller

Joyeux Noël: A French Christmas Cookbook by Coledown Kitchen

Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season by Elisabet der Nederlanden

*SHOP ALL ON AMAZON HERE*

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONALS

I love the idea of a Christmas daily devotional. It feels like a wonderful way to really celebrate and embrace the season and it's true meaning. The saying "Jesus is the reason for the season" always rings true- even when we sometimes forget. I often forget myself- more than I'd like. Every year I look forward to the holidays and the feelings of joy and nostalgic it brings, however stress, anxiety and impatience never seem too far away. Things like busy schedules, timelines, family events and gift shopping can cause tensions to run high. The pressures of the world can weigh on all of us, in our own individual ways.

My answer for times like these is to focus more on God and how I can better myself. Making time for the things that bring me joy also seems to help. This could be watching my favorite comfort show, enjoying a tasty meal or diving deeper into my Bible to ground myself. The world is noisy, y'all. I've definitely noticed that what I focus on and give my attention to can drastically affect my mental headspace. On the flip side, I often think about and find comfort in the idea that God presents us with challenges and adversities so that we have to come closer to Him. I think that's true. I don't like that I'm more "encouraged" to spend more time with Him when things aren't going how I want them to versus when they are, however it makes sense. 

Now that we're in the heart of the holidays, I think I would really enjoy reading through a Christmas devotional everyday in December. Something festive to remind me of Jesus, the true meaning of Christmas and just keep my spirits bright! I've been searching for one to purchase and so far, these are my top picks. I'm also thinking about buying some for Christmas gifts as well- I think that would make a really special gift. 

You can read the synopsis + shop each one by clicking on the title below: 

The Gifts of Jesus: Meditations for Christmas by Charles F. Stanley 

Jesus Listens For Advent & Christmas: Prayers for the Season by Sarah Young

Bring On The Merry: 25 Days of Great Joy for Christmas by Candace Cameron Bure 

The 25 Days of Christmas: A Family Devotional to Help You Celebrate Jesus by James Merritt 

I'll also link everything in my Amazon Storefront here if you want to shop :) Let me know if you have read any of these or any other Christmas devotionals you think I would enjoy!

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS I LOVE

 Ivory Cable Knit Stocking // Quilted Tree Stocking // Chunky Fair Isle Stocking // Plaid Teddy Stocking // Velvet Stocking // Gingerbread House Stocking // Embellished Tree Stocking // Metallic Knit Stocking // Rustic Tree Stocking 

-SHOP THE POST-

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY BLOG POSTS FROM LAST YEAR

Last month I shared a round-up of the Top 5 Most Popular Holiday Blog Posts from last year. Based on number of page views, these were the most popular Christmas posts visited on TKD. I always say this but I love going back + seeing which posts you all enjoy reading. I also think it's fun to re-share them if you're new to the blog or are curious about the most popular picks. With a little over two weeks to go until Christmas (can you believe it???), here are the posts I love the most-- my personal favorites. A few of them overlap with the most popular posts-- great minds think alike I guess ;)-- and a few didn't make that cut but are ones I loved making. Here's the line-up: 

1. CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PLAYLIST - If I'm listening to Christmas music, there's a good chance it's one of the songs from my Christmas Holiday Playlist. Most of these have been my tried and true favorites for years. I love the classics like Sinatra, Nat King Cole and my girl MC. I'm also still standing by my statement that her Christmas album is one of the best of all time. So so good. I've found a few new favorites this year so maybe I'll share an updated version later this month. 

Read here: Christmas Holiday Playlist 

2. BONNE MAMAN 2021 ADVENT CALENDAR UNBOXING - One of my favorite Christmas activities last year was unboxing the Bonne Maman Advent Calendar! I had so much fun doing it, I even filmed an unboxing video everyday on Tik-Tok last year. I skipped doing one this year so I'll have to reminisce with those videos + this post. 

Read here: Bonne Maman 2021 Advent Calendar Unboxing 

3. CHRISTMAS MOVIES I'M WATCHING THIS WEEK - I don't think the holiday season would be complete without watching Christmas movies. Because of my schedule, it's one of the few Christmas activities I can squeeze in outside of working. I love all of the Netflix originals + some favorites like This Christmas, The Family Stone and The Holiday. PS-- did you hear about The Holiday 2 coming out?? Can't wait! 

Read here: Christmas Movies I'm Watching this Week

4. WHAT TO BUY FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST | HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE ROUND-UP - This might be my top favorite out of the bunch because it's one post containing lots of other posts, lol. Still counts, right? I created several different gift guides last year on what to buy for everyone on your list. I then ended up sharing each guide in this one "master" post because I thought it would be more useful + easy to access. I may be a little biased but I still love all of the gift ideas and the graphics for each one. If you're shopping and needing gifts, hopefully this will inspire you + give you some ideas.  

Read here: What to Buy for Everyone On Your List | Holiday Gift Guide Round-up 

Which post do you like best?