A Few of my Favorite Things... Christmas 2015

It's almost Christmas. For many, myself included this year, it hasn't really felt much like Christmas yet. 

To be fair honest, I began to feel a bit of Christmas warming my heart over the weekend. Partly because I finally got to spend some face to face time with my girlie, and partly because I finished a large project and I didn't realize how much weight I was carrying on my shoulders until it was lifted.  It was all self-imposed pressure (deadline included!) but it felt oh so nice to wrap it up with a bow and cross it off my list.

So... I wanted to write just a little something today to let you know that I am praying for you. Yes, you.  If you are reading this right now (which - hello... you are!) I am praying for you.

Maybe you too have been grasping for a bit of Wonder and Awe and coming up empty handed... maybe you are frazzled and racing through the month... maybe you are loving all the festivities and activities and are dripping in Christmas Cheer.  Whether it is one extreme or the other, or somewhere gloriously in between, I am praying that Christmas will come... that joy and hope and love will well up from deep inside and no matter your circumstances or situations, the Light of the World will light your path and glory will stream along the way.  

I wanted to share just a few of my Favorite Things this year... and invite you to share some of yours with me too!  Plus... well, a Giveaway, because who doesn't love giving away a gift of two just for fun?

So, first off - a little bloggy 'business'...

I will be listing my weekly post "That Thing I Do Now" early... it's normally a Saturday post but, well - I won't be reading many new posts beyond today or tomorrow this week- so look for that post on Christmas eve! I will be taking a week or so off for the holidays, but will be reposting some holiday posts from the past!  I'm also going to be working on a Year in Review post as well as a wrap up for my OneWord365 (which was Wonder... so good, right? Do you know your word for 2016 yet? I am still arguing a bit about mine!)

Now... on to a few of my favorite things...

This year, as I mentioned, I haven't felt super Christmasy... but these are a few of my favorite things from this season, this year:

1. Mugs, because of course!  It's no secret that I love LOVE me some cute mugs... but these are a few of my favorite (new) ones this month:

2. My Space Heater...

For real... I am not a fan of getting cold. Like, at all. It's a problem when the temps dip down to the teens and camp out there.  You know, for days... but my Honey is brilliant and he gets out our little space heater and literally sets it on my bed side table... he even sneaks in close to bedtime each night and turns it on. He's pretty great. (He's, by far, my favorite thing - all day, every day!) Also... smart man!

3. Adele and Cabernet Matinee Dark Chocolate! Just go... bundle up and head out and brave whatever weather or crowds necessary and do yourself a favor by picking up both of these items! They are great separately, but also - divine together! Enjoy... and You are welcome. 

Oh and this... this was most definitely NOT my favorite thing:

As I said on Instagram... #Hellofromthebrokeside  

Yeah... turns out, we are NOT getting tickets to see Adele for Christmas!

4. Because Traditions, much like 'The show', must go on...

It's been a couple of years now that Christmas has looked different around here.  Our Only Girlie is All Grown Up and out of the house for the second year in a row... plus before that, she had a job that messed with our traditions.  We have been transitioning into #thatemptynesterlife for awhile now.  I'd love to tell you it's easy, but it's not. It hasn't been.  It's good and right and natural... and it's easy(-ier) during other months, but December is so full of traditions that it is hard to let those go.  So why list this in this post of Favorite Things? Because, honestly - I love that I am still doing them... even without our girlie helping to hang the ornaments or light the candles. I'd rather have her here with me, yes.  But the alternative is to just not do them and that is not an option. How would I ever feel warm and fuzzy and Christmasy at all if I wasn't surrounded by memories gone by -- plus, holiday movie marathons? Yes please!

(Plus... she's not gone for ALL of our Reindeer games!)

5. New --new traditions starting fresh and new gifts... 

We started Dad's House in May, so this is our first Christmas together as a church family and we have celebrated together in style with tons of love and laughter... 

I'm also loving new ornaments, new CDs (#HelloBrokenRecord... I {heart} Adele!), and yes - even new SNOW! (Have I mentioned that we will be having a White Christmas?)

Anyway... those are just a few of my favorite things from this month... this season.  

Oh yes... there is also this:

A Giveaway!

   ...because who doesn't love a little Giveaway?  These are a few of my favorite things from this year and I thought if I loved them, maybe you would too!

I know this is a little late for a Christmas giveaway - but who doesn't love getting fun mail in January, right?  

These are three of my favorite things from 2015:

Every Little Thing by Deidra Riggs - You guys! You know I love Deidra and this book is so full of goodness (and here's a tip - she is right now writing her second book and it's gonna be A. May. Zing.!)  The subtitle reads: "Making a World of Difference Right Where You Are."  I read this first on Kindle in an advanced version, then 'in real life' so I could mark it up and underline all the things. But this one here is new - and ready for your own highlighting and dog-earred-paging ways!

JOYN Hobo Bag - JOYN India block-printed fabrics are handmade in the foothills of the Himalayas, each inch is blocked by hand and each yard is spun and woven by hand. The more hands that it takes to make a JOYN product, the more jobs that can be created and the more lives can be restored. At the heart of JOYN lies a desire to see lives restored... To see those with little opportunity have the chance to dance for JOY!  This is an amazing company and the actual products - oh my stars! I have two bags and a few scarves and I love each one of them! I know you will love this bag!

Lyrics for Life by Dayspring - It comes as no surprise that I am a huge fan of words... and lyrics are even better... and worship is my jam... and Dayspring? Well... I love Dayspring! I have several Lyrics for Life wall art in my home! This is a gorgeous piece and can sit on a table or desk, or hang on a wall... what a great reminder through out your day! "Here I am to worship. Here I am to bow down. Here I am to say that You're my God." 

* This Giveaway is for US residents only. (Again... so sorry... international shipping is bossy and expensive!)

Enter to win here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway



The Winner will be announced next week!

Merry Christmas, my friends!

P.S.  I'm linking up with these lovely writers:

The Community over at #SmallWonders

Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp

Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory

Holley Gerth for #CoffeeForYourHeart

What about you, friends? What are some of YOUR Favorite Things this Christmas?