Christmas Cheer Bucket List
Sewing tin cookies
The Christmas season is my favorite time of year. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE summer time (and spring, and fall, okay, every season), but there is a cheery feeling in the air during Christmastime that is amplified by the twinkly lights and the crisp air. There is an extra level of effort that gets put in to the holiday season and it makes every day so much more special.
Winter sunsets over the ocean, complete with twinkle lights!
Every year around Thanksgiving, I make a list of all the fun holiday things I want to do that year. I love the Christmas season so much and it goes by so quickly, so I feel like planning ahead helps me hit everything and give me the most Christmassy bang for my buck.
CHRISTMAS BUCKET LIST:
Set up the tree and decorations
I like to do this as early as possible so that I have plenty of time to enjoy all of my cheerful decor. I have been known to start as early as the weekend after Halloween. I get my family’s tree and decorations up (bonus if I can find someone to help me put lights up outside!), and I even decorate my bedroom and bathroom. I can’t wait until I have a home of my own to decorate for each holiday.
Change my phone wallpaper
Most people have phone backgrounds with pictures of their loved ones or motivational quotes, but I always set my phone background to my mood. At Christmastime, the mood is Christmas. Because Christmas. And Christmas. I usually scroll through a “Christmas iPhone wallpaper” Pinterest search until I find the perfect image. And it has to be different every year. We look at our phones so much! That screen space is valuable. Change your wallpaper to reflect the mindset you want to be in and you’ll be reminded of it every four minutes when you check the time.
Visit the Christmas Tree on the beach
Because I live in San Diego, there are a few spots that we can do this. Some of the hotels put trees out on the beaches they are on, but my favorite spot is tucked away and set up by locals with the same ornaments every year. They even leave Santa hats out for people to come take pictures in front of it. I just get so tickled that there would be an evergreen tree out in the middle of the sand.
Bake a holiday recipe
Baking is something I’m trying to do more of in general, but there are so many fun recipes that draw from a holiday theme, so I make a point of trying a new Christmas recipe every year. This year, one of my friends is hosting her first annual Cookie Party, which I am looking forward to celebrating for many years to come.
Watch every Christmas movie
I do this all year anyway, but it still counts. Classics and comedies only, thanks. Hallmark Christmas movies can go.
Make hot chocolate and have a Harry Potter movie marathon
All of the comfy cozies and fluffy blankets and sweatpants and thick socks and hot chocolate in a Christmas mug! The first few Harry Potter movies have beautiful Christmas and winter scenes, plus my sister is usually home around this time of year, and watching Harry Potter is something we both enjoy, so this is a festive way to spend some time together.
Drive around to look at lights
I am very fortunate to live close to Christmas Card Lane in San Diego. They’re known for going all out with light displays in their yards to make each yard look like a Christmas card. Even though it was so close by, I had never been until a couple years ago on a first date. Now it’s a yearly tradition to go and walk around together and look at the lights.
Take Christmas portraits of my dog
There is no arguing that my dog, Maisy, is the cutest thing on four legs. Really. Don’t try to argue with me. BLESS HER for putting up with me dressing her up and posing her for pictures. Every year I come up with so many new photo ideas I want to try. Her instagram really pops off right before Christmas. She is such a good girl and she is rewarded handsomely for her patience.
Send Christmas Cards
Speaking of Christmas portraits, we have to get them done early so that they can go on our Christmas card! I can't wait until the day that I have a whole family to dress up and take Christmas card pictures with, but until then, Maisy gets to be the star. I don’t think anyone minds. I love receiving my friends’ Christmas cards, and when you send your own, you get lots in return, which may be sort of a selfish motive, but I have so much fun putting our card together, regardless.
Gift shopping
Gift shopping is one of the five love languages (I claim all five. Gimme all of the love, please!). I love scrolling through Amazon and Etsy, and wandering through stores, hunting for the perfect gift for each of the special people on my list. Then, choosing the most beautiful paper and tying it all up with a bow — presentation is everything. Even if I haven’t found the exact right thing, my loved one knows I took the time to shop and choose and wrap and bring them a small token of my heart.
Play Christmas Records and put my iTunes Christmas playlist on my phone
Music is such an easy way to set a mood! Blasting “All I Want for Christmas is You” and dancing around my bedroom while I get ready in the mornings gets me pumped for the day AND feeling festive. There is a local radio station that starts playing Christmas carols just after Thanksgiving, so that gets added to my car’s presets, the “Country Christmas” Pandora station gets the top spot on my TV, and my Christmas iTunes playlist gets re-added to my phone. My favorite way to listen to Christmas music, by far, is on vinyl. Through years of thrifting and record digging, I have amassed a small but mighty holiday record album collection, including releases from Elvis and Johnny Cash.
Some other activities that I would love to start adding into my tradition rotation:
Go ice skating
Drive up to see snow
Christmas-related crafting
Read a holiday themed novel
See a Christmas play or musical
I love to savor the magical Christmas feelings that come with this time of year. Put a little bit of effort into enjoying your holiday season and it will all be so much more special. Turning on some Christmas music and lighting a cinnamon apple scented candle doesn’t take much energy, but it makes a big difference in how you feel. I wish we could have jingle-bell twinkle-light “season’s greetings” feelings all year, but I suppose it would lose it’s charm after too long. All the more reason to appreciate the season while we’re in it!
Merry Christmas!
Are there any other Christmas lovers out there? What kinds of things do you like to do to make the holiday season extra special? I am always adding to my own list! Leave a comment and let me know!
