Holidays are here and a lot of us are experiencing our own version of a particular stress that happens this time of year. When you work full-time, it’s hard enough to cram in normal things like Doctor’s appointments but then you add the expectations centered around Christmas and you start to realize that it’s really a losing game. My advice is to acknowledge this early. Time is against you from the start so accept that as a loss and try to enjoy it. Drape some lights around, buy some cookies and eggnog, crank up the music and you’re good to go. Sort of. Purchasing, wrapping….those are all things I usually wait until the last minute to do and I advise against that. I have a friend who was done with her shopping before Thanksgiving and I’m trying to pretend that I don’t know that about her to make myself feel better but it’s not working.
The dog and I recently binge watched Season 2 of Bridgerton. I know I’m late to this party but the setting! The florals! The hair! The dresses! I especially love the Mama’s pushing their girls out to the marriage market. I started reading Julia Quinn’s first Bridgerton book the other night, but it was too much like the first season so I set it aside. Her writing is quick-witted and enjoyable and I wish I’d read them before I saw the show.
I recently finished a great urban fantasy book called Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber set in a Los Angeles that seemed magical, dark and interesting. It made me want to take a little trip there and visit the places in the book. I love urban fantasy when the main character realizes that there’s magic in the everyday world, she’s just never seen it before. This is a book that is being developed for a TV series by the creator of the Vampire Diaries and fingers crossed that it gets made and is good!
Do you have any favorite holiday movies? One of my all time favorites is While You Were Sleeping and a more recent favorite series is Dash & Lily – I love the interiors and New York City at Christmas (especially the Strand bookstore).
I love Christmas decorating. I like a casual, loose, artsy look. The type of decorating that looks like you just threw that garland and lights over the bookshelf and they happened to look fantastic where they fell. Look at me, I just tromped through the woods looking stunning in my vintage LL Bean and clipped these beautiful fir branches. Effortless cool is something I’ve admired my whole life and, in an embarrassing and very un-cool manner, I’ve chased and studied that look for decades. Let’s take a look at how that style works for Christmas decorating.
“The only true currency in this bankrupt world are the moments you share with someone when you’re uncool.”
― Cameron Crowe (I’m listening to his new memoir now and it’s fantastic).
The Colorado Nest 
Enjoyed this sweet and clever blog. I have not watched Bridgerton … but now I may try to… Happy Holidays!
Yes! Start with Season 2 is my advice – you’ll catch on quickly!
Merry Christmas!
I love the rooms you just shared. It makes me excited to make paper chains with my latest grandson next year. How did I forget the joy of cutting the construction paper strips (no ready-made perfect rectangles complete with adhesive strips for this child born in ’66).
Thanks for the inspiration. I love your work, candid insights, and permission to just be comfortable with how we are wired. I am getting ready to put up my fresh-from-box tree tonight, complete with every ornament anyone has ever given me. I might even keep it up until Valentines Day (stripped of its ornaments which have actually replaced with V-day napkins fluffed and poked into the branches).
Haha! Our tree is also filled with every ornament ever given or made for me. I love making paper chains – it’s also a fun way to count the days until something fun happens (for kids). Merry Christmas!! Good to hear from you.