The magic of Christmas is real. The twinkly lights, the melodies of the songs, the anticipation of giving and receiving gifts. Magical is the only word to describe that feeling, even all the madness of shopping for the perfect gift.
One Christmas season I worked in a mall, and no joke watching everyone wasexactly like the first scene of the Grinch when the Who’s are running around with their heads cut off and the giant clock is ticking down.
People were wild and frantic and I felt like little Cindy Lou, missing the Christmas spirit. I had to do something that brought back the magic for me, and so my first December Bucket List was born.
Obviously, I know I did notinvent the concept of a bucket list, they’re all over Pinterest and they’re completely customizable to your life. However, with the way 2020 has been I think we all need a little reminder of the magic.
First up,Christmas Movie Marathon.Pop some popcorn, put on your Christmas PJ’s and watch some Christmas movies! This is the best way to spend a December Sunday. You can make it a theme by watching Tim Allen’sThe Santa Clausetrilogy, or have a Christmas Classics marathon withMiracle on 34th Street andIt’s a Wonderful Life. Personally I like the pop culture favorites ofHow the Grinch Stole Christmas, Christmas Vacation, and Home Alone. There’s no one wrong way to have a movie marathon and honestly it’s a great time to brush up on some holiday instagram captions.
Second,See Christmas Lights.As a little girl this was a special tradition in my family and as I grew up and became a teenager, it became a special outing for me and my little brother. Now, I take my dog because my brother is too cool. No better way to get in the spirit than to drive around and take in everyone’s Christmas cheer! If you’re feeling frisky, mask up and drive down to the Rhema Christmas Lights in Broken Arrow!
Bake Cookies. I’m biased, but I believe my grandma’s cookie recipes are the best. I like to bake some sugar cookies or some chocolate chip cookies and gift them to my postman and the trash guys (is there a better word for that profession?) If you’re nice, maybe I’ll send you some too.
Decorate the tree - this is a given. With COVID effectively cancelling my family’s Thanksgiving gatherings, I put mine up in November, but left it without ornaments and trimmings so it was just festive, but bet your bottom dollar, this weekend, it is on and poppin’. And while I’m decorating the tree...I’llsing Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You at the top of my lungs. Two birds= one stone. It’s a Christmas classic, and although nothing gets me in the spirit likeN*SYNC’s Merry Christmas Happy Holidays. MC is the Queen of Christmas and that song is so good.
Okay so this next one has been on my bucket list since the list’s conception.Take Bella to see Santa. She won’t like a strange man in a beard and I get anxiety taking her in crowded public places which is why we still haven’t crossed this off the list. I just want the photo so maybe 2020 is the year..maybe not.
Mother Nature has to help me out with this next one, Bella LOVES the Snow. You’d think she was a husky not a Labrador. I can also remember when snow in December wasn’t just a dream, but a natural occurrence. A White Christmas is always on my wish list, and this year a snow day in December is on my bucket list, too!Playing in the snow with Bella may be far fetched, but if it snows even an inch, we’ll be out there.
One of my favorite holiday events is the Parsons Chamber of Commerce Christmas parade. This year because of COVID, they’re offering aDrive Thru Parade to keep everyone safe and socially distanced. I cannot wait to check it out! Perhaps I’ll see you there on December 3rd? Stop by Gia Rose to see our Grinchmas decorations in the front window!
Wear Sequins.Festive outfits are my JAM. A graphic tee, a holiday colored sweater, a velvet dress, and possibly my favorite of all SEQUINS! I have some silver sequin boots that I’m dying to put on and strut around in. They only come out in December and January, so it’s almost their time to shine again. You probably won’t catch me at the bar in them, but I will definitely be wearing them to work on a Tuesday.
What I love about small towns is the downtown area shopping, popping into the coffee shop and then hitting all the local shops. I don’t always have an agenda or shopping list and that’s often when I find the best items! COVID has hit our businesses hard so I definitely plan toShop Local in December.
I’ll end with two of my most sacred December/ Holiday traditions. First, since my brother was little we would spend Christmas Eve together--watching Rankin Bass cartoons(Google them) and making homemade pizza. He might be too cool to do it this year, but he also just got out of quarantine so maybe I can guilt him into it. When he was really little we would decorate cookies for Santa and turn on the “Santa tracker”, we don’t do that anymore but we do eat pizza and watch Christmas shows/movies.
My friend Adrienne moved to Kansas City several years ago, so we hardly ever see each other. Instead of getting each other gifts, we schedule one December weekend to have a girl’s weekend and do all the Christmas things: see the lights at The Plaza, have a nice dinner, Shop for gifts, and get all dolled up to seeThe Nutcracker Ballet. This year, we aren’t able to get together because of COVID. What a bummer. Luckily, there are ballets from around the country offering free virtual viewings of The Nutcracker, so I’ll be tuning in to that from the comfort of my home.
I encourage you all to create your own bucket list, especially this year seeing as we are having a Holiday season to which the likes haven’t been seen since like the 1500s when the plague struck? Idk. But, spend time with your family and make memories, it’s not all about the gifts! That’s what Christmas is all about, at least that’s what Cindy Lou learned.
Xoxo,
Jodeci
