First, a question: have you started Christmas decorating yet? You may have spotted a few sneak peeks over on my Instagram feed, but we’re well into our own holiday decorating this year. We’ve got two trees up and decked out—from their tippy top stars, to their trunks down below—and our mantel is already laden down with festive stockings just waiting to be filled. Suffice it to say, the official Christmas decorating season is in full swing around these parts, and I feel confident in saying that it’s the same all across the world at this point now, too.
In order to help inspire your holiday decorating (not to mention, Christmas party hostessing) I’ve got a brand new project up on Oriental Trading’s Fun365 website. Click to see the full tutorial for my DIY Jingle Bell Christmas Cupcake Toppers, and go ahead and tell me in the comments below just how far you’ve gotten in your own holiday decorating this 2017 season. No matter what your Christmas plans are, here’s hoping it’s an extra merry and bright one!
I can hardly believe it, but Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I feel like I tend to lie in wait throughout the year for this moment, yet it somehow arrives without warning when I least expect it to. It may be incredibly cheesy to say, but this really is my favorite time of the year, so I thought it would be a good practice to share 25 of the things I’m most thankful for as we slide into the “official” holiday season.
Scroll on for the full list, plus a collection of photos (and a video, too) of our time spent at the apple orchard and pumpkin patch earlier this fall. John and I enjoyed a great afternoon picking a pumpkin and winding our way through the apple tree tunnels. We accidentally left our trip to the patch a little later in the season then we had planned to, so there weren’t very many pumpkins to choose from, but the cool breeze and mountain views made the trip more than worth it.
See my list of 25 gratitudes below, and be sure to share your own list of things you’re thankful for in the comments at the end of the post.
1. First and foremost, getting to spend time with both of our families this Thanksgiving and Christmas.
2. Crisp fall air and autumn leaves.
3. PIE!
4. Seeing snow in the forecast, even if it doesn’t actually happen.
10. The positive messages, photos, and videos filling social media these days. There may be a lot of painful headlines in the news right now, but people are finding ways to focus on their gratitude, too, and that’s really encouraging to me.
11. Our four pets, who make us smile every single day.
12. Looking ahead to my seventh anniversary as a freelance entrepreneur early next year, and being able to say I truly have my dream job.
13. Cozy sweaters and scarves, and leather boots, too.
14. The excuse to wear my favorite shade of red lipstick.
15. Fully losing myself in a beautiful piece of classical music.
18. Hearing people smile and say “Happy holidays!” to each other while out and about this time of year.
19. Fleece blankets and bath robes.
20. Receiving Christmas cards printed with happy updated photos of friends and family, both near and far.
21. My husband, who is my best friend in the entire world.
22. Fall candles burning all hours of the day here at home.
23. Being able to spoil loved ones throughout this giving season.
24. Hearing my all-time favorite Christmas song (Merry Christmas, Darling, by the Carpenters) play randomly on the radio.
25. Last, but certainly not least, having the chance to thank God at the end of every day for my existence and for every little moment I’ve experienced so far. This life is a really, really good one…
So, what about you? What are you most thankful for right now as you sit there reading this? A lot of my time as a blogger is spent in seclusion here at my computer, and I often struggle with the concept that no one actually reads my words. It can be hugely isolating at times even though I know I’m not really alone. All this to say, that today I’d love to hear from you and invite you to share your own gratitudes in the comments below.
It can be anything at all, big or small, but I’m firmly of the mind that we feed off of each other’s positivity, so, if you feel so inclined, please take a minute or two to share what you’re most grateful for this season. Thanks, as always for following along—I’m always grateful for you!
I am thankful I got to take this year off from work to spend with my newborn and 3 year old. It has been a blessing. Have a happy Thanksgiving! ReplyCancel
CarrieNovember 27, 2017 - 2:41 pm
Thank you! And that sounds wonderful 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!!ReplyCancel
These are really pretty. Personally, I don’t do my Christmas decorating until December 1st. And it all comes down on January 1st.
Thanks!! And such a good plan…I take all of our decor down soon after Christmas, too! As in the day right afterward, haha!! 🙂
These are very cute! Pinning them!
Thanks!!