Holy holly – we’re already one week into December! A quarter done with perhaps my favorite month of the year. I can’t help it – I am a sucker for the holiday season. Pretty twinkling lights, an abundant supply of vegan nog (seriously, my fridge overfloweth), and pine-scented things? Sold! My parents created many holiday traditions when my siblings and I were young, and we still carry many of them out to this day, even though my siblings and I aren’t exactly children anymore. But those memories – and the new ones we make every year – always make the holiday season special for me. It certainly doesn’t hurt that it’s the one time every year where I’m guaranteed to see most of my closest friends from high school – I always look forward to our annual post-Christmas get-together.

And despite my distaste for consumerism, I just love giving and receiving thoughtful gifts. I typically try to give at least a few handmade gifts every year, but even when I don’t, the gifts I purchase are carefully selected for the intended recipient. It makes me happy to see other people happy! It’s a circle of happiness!

Last weekend, I prepared for the holiday season by working on S’s and my Christmas stockings. For sustenance during my sewing spree, I snacked on yet another piece of cake from the Chicago Diner – this was an amazing layer cake with crunchy toffee bits, whipped “cream,” and a thin chocolate ganache-like layer on top. So good. Nothing like sugar and sewing to make for an exciting Saturday night!

Yes, I Instagrammed this.

I didn’t get the stockings quite finished last weekend, so our apartment was not the most festive of flats. But then S surprised me on Tuesday night by decorating while I was out! I came home to find a wreath, garlands, bows, lovely twinkly white lights, cinnamon-scented pinecones, and the little fake tree I inherited from my ex-roomie. S had lit some candles and was playing Christmas music – it was perfect. Isn’t he amazing?

Since then, we’ve also picked up a poinsettia and added even more lights. I just need to finish gluing the loops on our stockings (and whip one up for Moria!) and we’ll be ready for the holidays!

How do you feel about the holidays? Do you decorate?