5 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit…Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

December 12, 2020December 12, 2020 / Cami Grace / Leave a comment

5 Ways To Get In The Holiday Spirit…Even When You Don’t Feel Like It.

I have been having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit. I know I’m not alone here. For some this year has been extremely difficult in every way possible, and for that I am incredibly sorry and want to give you a virtual hug.

Even though things are weird this year I realized that it’s up to me to create my own happiness. All year I have fought through the “blah’s”. I refuse to allow Covid to take away my joy. Instead of focusing on what I can’t do, I’m choosing to focus on what I can do. Just because things are different doesn’t mean that it’s all bad. So, even though I haven’t been in the mood, here are 5 ways I’m getting myself into the holiday spirit.

1. Accept

First of all, it’s ok if we’re not feeling the Holiday spirit this year. Sometimes it makes it worse to ignore our feelings and pretend they aren’t there, when they very clearly are. Maybe you don’t feel like putting up Christmas lights – it’s ok. Maybe your family doesn’t have matching Christmas jammies – it’s ok (we never do!). Maybe you don’t want to bake Christmas cookies this year – it’s ok. Sometimes we just have to let go of the expectations and do what we can. I want to emphasize that last part “do what we can“. It will get better.

2. Turn Up That Music!

Sure, maybe I don’t feel like listening to music at the moment, but simply turning on the music and skipping songs until I find just the right one is exactly what I need. Bonus affect – turn on your Christmas tree lights. It definitely helps.

3. Make a Christmas/Winter Bucket List

I recently created a Fall Bucket List. I am often hesitant to do bucket lists for fear (for lack of a better word) that I will fail and not check anything off. However, the thing I’ve found about creating these lists is that it causes me to do SOMETHING, even if it’s just one or two items, instead of nothing at all. So, I keep making them!

I encourage you to get out a piece of paper and write down a minimum of 3 things you would like to do by the end of this month. It doesn’t have to be anything big or fancy, just something you think that would be fun. Ideas (which are also going on my list) would be to watch a certain holiday/Christmas movie, bake cookies – it can even be pre-made cookie dough if that seems too much, or drive around looking at Christmas lights. I don’t know about your city/town, but I’ve seen a lot more Christmas light displays this year!

4. Make a Thankful List

It’s easy to get caught up in things that are going on around you. When my feelings run away with me and I start feeling down, I like to make a list of things I’m thankful for and I start counting my blessings. I also do this when I’m feeling anxious. It really helps you see and appreciate what’s right in front of you and blessings you might not have really noticed before.

5. Read an Advent Devotional

I really enjoy Advent devotionals. It helps get my heart in the right place and helps me keep Jesus as the focus of the Christmas season. I’m reminded to calm my heart and mind and remember the reason why we celebrate.

If you download the YouVersion Bible app you can pick from a variety of plans. This is the one I am going through this season and I have really enjoyed it. There is an audio portion that gives it a special touch and I feel is really affective in calming and focusing my mind even more.

My favorite way to read my devotional is at night right before I go to bed with just the Christmas tree lights on.

I hope you know you’re not alone in this weird season of life and that maybe this list will help give you some ideas to still make it a special Christmas season.

Much Love,

Cami

P.S. I would love to know – what 3 things would you list on your holiday bucket list?

Currently November 2020

November 30, 2020 / Cami Grace / Leave a comment

Here we are on the last day of November. Between this month and last we have checked quite a few things off our Fall Bucket List. Last week we celebrated a very COVID style Thanksgiving. I was sick with a cold so it was just me, my husband Mikey, and our Gryffin. It wasn’t the first time it was just the 3 of us for Thanksgiving so it wasn’t that bad (aside from being sicky). Actually it was really nice because Mikey didn’t have to work for the first time in years!

We usually wait to put our tree up until the Saturday after Thanksgiving but we decided put our tree up Thanksgiving night. Gryffin was pretty excited about it! I’ve had a hard time getting into the holiday spirit, but since we’re the keeper of our own happiness I refuse to let my dismal feelings take control.

Anyway…here’s what else we’ve been up to.

Currently Watching

Mikey and I haven’t really watched anything this past month aside from the family movie night movies so I’m just going to jump in here.

Friday family night movies have included:

Big Hero 6 (I really like this one – it’s sad but good!)

Scoob (This is a repeat. Gryffin really likes this movie. I honestly thought for sure it would be too scary for him and was ready to stop it at any moment, but he loves it!)

Frozen II

Robin Hood (we went old school)

Planes

Currently Reading

Farmer Boy (Little House Series) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This has been taking me a long time to get through since it’s not holding my interest quite as much as the first book. I still plan to read the next one but I’m hoping there’s a little more story line to keep things going a littler faster.

The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker

To go with the Little House books, I discovered there was a Little House cookbook! I was thinking of buying this but discovered the library had a copy so I checked it out! I’m glad it’s not something I bought because most of the recipes I don’t think I would actually make, but it’s been fun to flip through.

Martha Stewart’s Organizing by Martha Stewart (of course!)

I’m not quite sure what brought me to this book, but I’m all about making my house a home and this book had a lot of good information in it. I really enjoyed her monthly calendars and gleaned some good ideas and inspiration. Definitely contemplating buying this book.

Currently Making/Baking

Pasta E Fagioli soup by Kristen with MakeTheBestofEverything.com.

I found this copy cat recipe on Pinterest and loved it! It was a big hit with Mikey and Gryffin too. I always order soup, salad, and breadsticks from Olive Garden and this is one of my favorites. Bonus, this recipe makes a lot so it’s great for a crowd!

Current Favorite

Color Street Nails!

I have tried a few different types of nails (salon, Jamberry, glue on, press on), but these are my new favorite! I love that you don’t need heat to apply and you can easily take them off with nail polish without completely ruining your nails. I’m a fan! I just ordered a couple more sets for my stocking for Christmas this year (from Mikey of course ;). These nails are sold by consultants, but I hear Dashing Diva‘s nails are similar if you don’t want to go through a consultant.

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Anyway, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and have a wonderful holiday season!

Much love to you all,

Cami

P.S. I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving! Leave a comment below!

Currently July 2020

July 31, 2020 / Cami Grace / Leave a comment

And just like that, there goes July! We had a pretty quiet 4th. We spent the afternoon with my brother and his family. Gryffin had a blast playing with his cousins that we hadn’t seen since the shut down. I also made these delicious red, white, and blue brownie kabobs. They were as sweet and refreshing as they look! You can bet I will be making these every year.

After my brother’s house we went out to dinner at our favorite Mongolian grill restaurant. With the majority of fireworks shows being canceled, there were quite a few illegal fireworks going off so we had fun running from our back deck to the front window to watch them all, haha.

The only other thing I can think of that happened out of the ordinary was that Gryffin and I came down with small head colds (I got covid tested just to be safe and we’re clear). It made me realize though I need to be more diligent about cleaning my home’s high touch areas and making sure I’m washing HIS hands as much as I’m washing mine. Regardless of Covid, it’s not fun being sick, no matter what sickness it is.

Here’s what else we’ve been up to this month…