Yin and Yang

"They'll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and carolers out in the snow..."

In a lot of ways, this really is the most wonderful time of the year. There is the opportunity to gather together with our nearest & dearest, give thoughtful presents, and savor twinkle lights. My calendar is full of sparkly events where I'll be sipping eggnog and donning party dresses, but it teeters on overabundance. As wonderful as this time of year is, it can make me glad that January follows December -- a time for new beginnings, goal setting, and quinoa. 

After finishing those final to-dos at work and affixing that last bow, on Friday I head to Ohio for a week with my friends and family. Many traditions await: songs to be sung, hugs to be given and received, and I couldn't be more excited. But as it always is with my ever-present quest to stay in the moment, it's easy to worry about finances or calories or fitting in enough down time.

Last week, I spent an evening brainstorming my 2012 wishes & dreams. I just put pen to paper and allowed any thought that came into my head to be jotted down on the list. An ideal me emerged -- someone who wakes up an hour earlier, makes her bed every morning, goes to yoga weekly, and finds time for reading and regular phone calls with her best friends. Giving myself the opportunity to do that was incredibly therapeutic -- and doing so before turning the calendar to the new year was a fantastic way to clean the slate during this season of abundance. 

Now begins the challenge to enjoy these remaining December days -- slender bank account and endless cookies and all. There will be plenty of time for fresh starts, Monday mornings, and kale in just a few weeks. For now, huddling around the piano with my dearest friends and enjoying one more glass of prosecco sounds pretty darn good. 

Happy, happy holidays.

{Image via Pinterest}

Shake It Up

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment
is the only one you know you have for sure.

Oprah Winfrey

I love routines. Even when I was a child, vacations from school were difficult since they lacked that structure and schedule. Days spent organizing, crossing things off of lists, and then cocooning at home with a favorite TV show or book are my favorite. But, even for a type-A introvert like myself, change and shaking up your normal routine can do wonders for the soul. This week, I've had several occasions where life has been eager to show me this simple truth. 

On Tuesday, my beau and I went out for dinner. Sure, it was a Groupon dinner date, but I put on earrings and lipstick and was whisked away to a cozy little restaurant not far from my apartment. The decor was intimate and inviting --  simple flower arrangements in mason jars adorned the table, and ample candles flickered throughout the space. We savored a wonderful meal and even split dessert, and as we ambled out into the rainy streets afterward, I felt relaxed and blessed. All that on a random Tuesday evening! 

It was a simple pleasure: a meal shared together without sitting in front of the TV or thinking about washing the dishes, a time to pause mid-week and truly enjoy each other's company, and truly amazing gelato. And to think, I'd almost thought it was too much trouble to gussy up and head out to dinner. After work, I had a slight headache and thought how much easier it would be to just grab a burrito bowl from Chipotle and do the normal Tuesday routine. 

Tonight, I had a free evening and wanted to catch up on e-mail, blogs, and my book after a busy day at work. Instead of just hunkering down in my apartment, I decided to head to the coffee shop just a block from my building. That's where I sit now, drinking a hot chocolate and wondering why I don't do this more often. I'm the queen of making time for myself, but how often do I do something like this, where I am out enjoying the people, sights, and sounds of my neighborhood? I just may make this a weekly date with myself. 

In the midst of this yuletide season, when obligations, shopping lists, and expectations can dominate our lives, I'm going to try to connect with myself and others around me, and shake things up a little bit. 

What can you do to shake up your routine this week? 

{Image courtesy of Pinterest}

Ring A Ling

Something about staying in town for Thanksgiving actually put me in the holiday spirit earlier than in recent years. Without the rushed, hectic nature of traveling, I could settle in to watch Elf the night of Thanksgiving, and make time on Sunday to decorate my Christmas tree instead of sitting in traffic. In no time flat, I'd programmed my DVR to program all of my favorite holiday movies (White Christmas, Holiday Inn, A Christmas Story, Charlie Brown Christmas), and switched my Pandora station to Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters. Nothing puts a swing in my step like listening to their rendition of Jingle Bells. 

Music is a huge part of my life despite the season, but the nostalgic nature of Christmas bring it to the forefront during this time of year. I absolutely love to sing. I actually had my first solo on Christmas Eve when I was just 6 years old, and was very involved in choirs, show choirs, and musicals until I graduated from college. Unless you've done karaoke with me recently (Madonna's Like A Prayer is my staple number), many people I know now aren't familiar with this part of me.

During the holidays, one of the things I look forward to the most is singing. While occasionally it's breaking into a hilarious version of Silver Bells with my friends, music is a major part of why the holidays are so special to me. 

For the past few years, my two best friends from high school would join me in singing for the holiday party at my grandma's nursing home. We would dust off some of our favorites from our choir days, as well as trying out some new numbers. Because my grandma was in a Memory Care/Alzheimer's program, it was always amazing to me to see the effect that music would have on these older folks. They joyfully sang along with almost everything, even if other words (and faces) were harder to recognize. My grandma passed away earlier this year, so we won't be singing there, but I'm still looking forward to getting together with my dear friends and huddling around the piano. It's one of the traditions that I look forward to the most every year. 

I'm also looking forward to joining voices with two other close friends and singing Gesu Bambino at church on Christmas Eve. We've lost count of how many years we've sung this together, but it really wouldn't be Christmas without it. It's fitting that the building where I had my first solo 24 years ago is still the place I raise my voice every year.

One of my goals in the New Year is to find a way to sing more regularly -- all suggestions welcome! Do you have any special holiday traditions that could be a bigger part year round?

{Image via Pinterest}