Monthly Musings-December

Hello friends and happy Thursday. Joining Holly (Pink Lady) and Patty (Good Better Best)  for their Monthly Musings link up today, and mixing in some of our holiday home decor just because. Here are the prompts-

1. What holidays do you celebrate? 

In December-Advent, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. I'm not sure Advent counts as a holiday, but it is an important part of the season for me.

2. Scale of 1-10, how into the holidays are you this year? Be honest. 

I'm an eight. I'm excited to have my girls and their families all together this weekend. It's the 'in-law' year so we're having a little family Christmas here on Saturday. When your kids are grown and married and have children of their own, and those in-law children are also close to their families, well...some flexing and adjustment of your expectations as to how Christmas looks absolutely needs to happen. 

Not gonna lie-it may not happen year one, but we're ten years in now and it's all good. Different can still be wonderful. 

Firstly, I love that my girls have in-laws who love them and their children. That is no small thing. Plus hubs and I have spent our entire married life alternating Christmas between our two families due to geography, so we know the drill. I've told my girls if we can manage a get together sometime in December on the 'off' years then we'll make that happen. Personally I don't want to celebrate in January. My mindset shifts to quiet, low-key, and hey let's not eat cookies every night in January, so if we're going to celebrate Christmas together it needs to be December. 

3. Favorite things to make/bake during the holidays? 

I love to bake cookies, but haven't done very many this year. Both my girls bake and will bring their creations here so we'll have plenty. I always make cranberry bread too, and chex mix both the sweet and savory.  

4. Favorite holiday movies? 

I'm not big on the Hallmark movies, but I like most of what we think of as the traditional holiday films. White Christmas, The Holiday, Elf,  Love Actually, and The Christmas Story are all watched here. 

5. Most random holiday tradition?

A picture on the steps first thing Christmas morning, before coming in to the room where stockings have been filled and more presents added under the tree. It was torture when I was a kid, and I think my girls will say the same. Now their children have a picture taken on the stairs so yay for tradition! 

6. Are you hosting for the holidays? New Year's Eve or New Year's Day? 

We're hosting our kids and grandkids this weekend, and then will be with my extended family on Christmas Day which I'm also looking forward to. We haven't thought about the New Year celebration at all. We may have friends in impromptu, or it might just be us? We're okay with low key on the last day of the year. 

7. Favorite way to ring in the New Year? 

I'm not a night owl, but I do try to be awake when the clock strikes twelve to mark the start of a new year. #goals lol. 

Is just being awake considered ringing in the new year? 

Some years we're with friends, some years friends are here, some years it's just me and the hubs and I'm good with any of those. I don't like to be on the road on New Year's Eve. 

8. Any new year's resolutions or word of the year? 

There will be some goals set and many years I do have a word. This year mine was anchor and I'll write more about how that looks in hindsight after Christmas. I haven't given a lot of thought to the new year/new word yet and honestly I typically don't get it in gear in this department until about January 7th so stay tuned. 

9. Favorite holiday songs? 

The traditional hymns and carols from my childhood are still my favorite...

                '...a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices...' 

                '...God is not dead nor doth he sleep...'

                '...the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonite...' 

10. Favorite holiday memory? 

I could never choose just one. What I treasure most from my own childhood is the warmth and love I felt from my family and for my family on Christmas day. Those feelings bubble up every year and I feel so much gratitude for the people who grew me up. My momma made it all pure magic.