Y is for Yah! Monthly Musings!

Linking up with Holly and Patty for this month's fun questions about the holidays

1. Celebrating Christmas Eve by going to church and then to dinner, reading from the Bible prior to our own family's opening gifts on Christmas morning, hosting Christmas Day, hosting more family after Christmas to name a few.

2. Fashion items:

Ugly and non- ugly festive sweaters:

This shirt is cute but I generally need or want to be wearing something that keeps me warmer than this in December

I just got this at a consignment shop. I will wear it in January as well- I don't think of it as exclusively a holiday sweater. Either Talbots quality is great, or the original owner didn't wear it much- it looks practically brand new. It's a size bigger than my normal size but that is ok. It doesn't look crazy too big on me and looser is oftentimes better in the winter :).

I got this on sale after Christmas last year. I think it will be a fun addition to holiday events.

I also enjoy wearing dressier cashmere sweaters during the holiday season.

3. I have been compiling some of my favorite recipes on the blog so I will link to them:

This link goes to a page where I have a buffalo chicken dip recipe and a hot Swiss cheese dip recipe. I make the latter every Christmas and most other events that I host. It also has a recipe for monster cookies. These cookies are loved by just about everyone and bonus they can be made to look festive by adding red and green M&M's to the top.

This link goes to a page where I have a copy cat Honey Baked Ham recipe. I made this just last week for Thanksgiving to rave reviews and will make it again for Christmas. 

4. We decorate the house, buy presents, go to events, etc. but the way we intend or hope or aim to celebrate Christmas is by never losing sight of the reason that we celebrate it: the birth of Jesus. It's so easy to get caught up in the Western culture excess of it all (I get caught up in like the best of them) but I do try to keep my focus on what really matters throughout the season and try to impart that to the kids.

One thing we did that was kind of counter cultural was to not teach our kids to believe in Santa. We did not want the focus on a make believe thing. Some would say that we robbed the kids of the joy of believing in Santa. We can agree to disagree; there was plenty of joy come Christmas morning in the household- I've video proof of it :). The kids have never lacked an entity to provide presents for them- the kids always known that the presents they received were from us. 

5. We have gone to see lights occasionally, but it is not a yearly tradition.

6. A tad bit over the top!! I plan to do a separate post on my decor. Let's just say that the dining room no longer goes by the term dining room but is, instead, referred to as the Christmas room!!

7. A Christmas tree? That implies one, lol. We have five full size Christmas trees in the house. They are all fake.

Here is a partial view of the hall tree with blurred lights from the dining room tree.

And here's the dining room tree in focus.

Besides these two trees, we have one in the family room and then two trees upstairs.

8. I love white chocolate covered everything- from Oreos to pretzels; a Cheesecake Factory cheesecake; candies or concoctions made with peanut butter and chocolate.

9. No pets!

10. Keep expectations in check. Everything will not go perfectly during the holidays or on Christmas Day. Try to focus on the things that bring you joy and focused on what really counts. I know, easier said than done!