It’s beginning to look a lot like….Sing it with me!

The holidays are upon us.

Stores are decorated, and holiday sales are on.

This time of year is my favorite – the stretch from Halloween to New Year’s is magical. This year, we’re hosting every holiday, and I’ll be in party-planning mode until early 2024. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I love cooking ridiculous quantities for large groups of people and am happiest when my house is standing-room only. I always want my home to be where everyone feels welcome.

Quick little story before I share some ideas for making this holiday season your best one yet:

You might remember that on Halloween, I mentioned we had a party. My kids all had friends over, went trick-or-treating and then came back here for a very Italian Halloween dinner. (We baked mostaccioli, Italian beef sandwiches, homemade pizza, and garlic bread. I don’t usually eat carbs, but that day, I sure as hell did).

So, how it started was pretty low-key. But how it ended – one for the history books.

My daughter’s friend’s dad said that as he drove through the neighborhood to our house, it was pretty dark and quiet by that point – it was a cold and blustery Halloween. But as he pulled up to our house, he said he immediately thought of the movie Animal House – the house was lit up, kids everywhere – inside and outside, on the front lawn tossing a ball around. He said he was just waiting for something to be tossed through one of the front windows.

Meanwhile, I’m sitting at my kitchen island with some of the kids’ parents, soaking it all in.

When your party is likened to Animal House, you know you crushed it. (I’m still laughing). It’s the people that make the party. And I’ve been blessed beyond my quota.

And speaking of blessed – I’m a firm believer in taking time every day, regardless of what’s going on in our lives, to appreciate. Just pause, take a look around, and notice. Recognize. Appreciate. The way things are in this moment is THE ONLY TIME in your life they’ll be this way. Soak it up. Cherish it.

I know the holidays aren’t always a festive time, particularly for those going through a rough time. Holidays can bring up feelings of loneliness, sadness, and emptiness, particularly for those who have lost someone they love or who are going through a challenging time in general.

This has been an absolutely insane year for so many people on so many fronts, personal and business. Even I feel the effects and have to be even more proactive than ever to prioritize myself in a new way – a way that requires more boundaries, unplugging, and saying no more often. Interestingly, these are all shifts that bring me even closer and closer to alignment, and as I make these shifts, I attract more. It always blows my mind how that works.

Before the hustle and bustle of the holiday season kicks in, I thought I’d share these ideas so you can make this your best holiday season.

• Take care of yourself
  When you take care of yourself first, everyone in your life benefits. Prioritize your overall wellness – mind, body, spirit.
• Less is more
  It’s better to do a few things with intention and meaning than several things going through the motions. Pick a few favorite traditions (or new ones) and pour your heart and soul into it.
• Focus on experiences
  What experiences do you want to share with your friends and family? Schedule a Christmas movie marathon night, cookie decorating party, or go Christmas caroling. (Do people do that anymore? I say we bring that back. Who’s in?)
• Give from the heart
  Giving to others always feels good. Give what you feel inspired to give. Think about what has the most meaning for you, and start there.
• Spend time with the ones you love
  You can always make more money, but you can never get more time. You’ll never look back and wish you spent less time with your friends and family.
• Do something special for yourself
  One thing I think people don’t do often enough is celebrate their success. Even if you aren’t as far along as you wanted by this point, you still showed up and put in your best effort, which deserves to be celebrated.

I’m here to support you. Please reach out if I can help you in any way.