Looking at my five things, it’s so obvious I’m still in the holiday spirit this week. Long live Christmas!
1. Rich foods
I’m doing my best to eat in moderation…but boy oh boy, have I been eating spectacularly delicious food this week. Homemade everything, from cheese cake to caramel corn to pie to cookies.
On tonight’s menu: french onion soup and eggnog from scratch!
2. Family celebrations
Planning and coordinating different family get-togethers are a challenge each year, but I will never stop loving the time we spend chatting, feasting and being together during the holidays. Four parties down, and one to go…my head gear is ready, Foersters! And I’m bringing a cheese ball. Party on.
3. The Rolling Jubilee
The first time I heard of this organization, there were tears in my eyes for the brilliance and generosity behind the idea. As an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street, the Rolling Jubilee is quite simple: they buy bad debt for pennies on the dollar, and simply forgive it. Poof! Gone. They’ve already raised over $500,000, which will wipe away more than 10 MILLION DOLLARS of debt. And they’re just getting started.
It warms me all over to think of the people who got the jolly letters this holiday that the debt they’ve fretted about doesn’t need to be paid back, and the huge weight lifted off their shoulders by this simple yet profound action. Learn more about the Rolling Jubilee here.
4. Thoughtful gifts
Once again, my family exceeded my wildest holiday gift hopes this year. Just thinking of the sweet and thoughtful gifts I received makes me swell with love and gratitude. It’s absolutely magical when the people who love you notice what you might like or need, and go out of their way to make it happen for you. A few of my highlights:
- A tiny hippo book end (pictured at right) with the tag “Only a hippopotamus will do” (Because hippopotamuses love me too…)
- Ninjabreadmen cookie cutters
- A bread knife (we’ve gone without one for several years…I used it today and it CUT SO SMOOTHLY! I didn’t know a person could get this pumped about a knife.)
- A toaster oven to replace our broken one…and this one has a timer! What? I didn’t know toaster ovens could have timers…how brilliant.
I feel so extremely excited about all of my gifts, but I feel that I should stop the list, lest you get bored, dear reader. But rest assured, nothing but excitement here. Also, our cats got a two-story condo. It’s amazing, and Charlie loves it, and Bob can’t really fit in it. They also got a catnip cigar, which had a sticker around it, but we took the sticker off and it just looks like a turd. But enough about the gifts.
5. Warmth
Our first snow melted…then we got another blizzard, and the cold feels like it’s here to stay. Therefore, I’m madly in love with anything that keeps me warm when I inevitably get chilly…including, but not limited to, new mittens, beautiful blankets, my hot/cold bag and my sweet, sweet husband.
Happy December! What’s your favorite thing this month, dears?
