Christmas to Come

Although we've still got over quite a while until Christmas 2024, I am trying to keep my promise and change my attitude toward the holidays. I know, it's far too soon -- unless you're a diehard Scrooge like me. So I really need to start working on myself way early.

I've been thinking about the few things I've always liked about the holidays. One thing I really enjoyed doing last year was going to different towns near us to see the light displays. My guy and I would stop for coffee, too. I insisted on going out five different times during 2023 to do this, which I've never done in the past. We need to do that again this year -- and maybe also make the trek up to St. Augustine, as they're supposed to have wonderful light displays, too.

As a holiday gift I like making a dessert for our next door neighbors (2023 was homemade French Silk Pie, which everyone loved.) It's a nice gift to give, especially in this day and age when no one has time to cook. I think this year I'm going to try making treat baskets with a couple different things, so I need to start testing some recipes on my guy, who is the resident treat expert and can eat sugar without a problem.

I give back through a charity donation every holiday, but over the last couple of years I usually do that via e-mail, which honestly is really impersonal. It's one of those fallout from the pandemic things. Anyway, I want to do some in-person donations to our favorite local charities, like the no-kill cat shelter.

Little changes like these will help make the Christmas season more hopeful than dreadful for me. I'm also going to make more changes; I just need some spirit-boosting ideas. What do you do that makes you happier during the holidays? Let me know in comments.