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As I sit here in front of the tree tonight, I’m feeling called to write something. It’s just two weeks (exactly!) until Christmas and, I don’t know about you, but the holiday I planned in October and the holiday I’m actually living right now are…not the same thing (haha).
October-Me thought she’d have curated garlands, coordinated wrapping paper, and a tree(s) that looked like it moonlights in a magazine. December-Me is over here rearranging colored bulbs one more time because red-white-green-blue-orange is obviously superior, eating peppermint sugar cookies at 8 p.m., and and realizing my “organized holiday season” lasted approximately 36 hours before I completely abandoned ship.
Maybe you remember…back in October, I put up three full-size trees and two 4 foot trees, each one destined to be decorated in my usual rustic neutrals—soft, curated, tasteful…predictable (and so BORING). And then, all at once, something hit me, “Yeah…no, not this year.”
One minute I was untangling white twinkle lights and sorting neutral ornaments into two piles, white and brown; and the next, I was knee-deep in C7s, vintage minis, and every color bulb known to mankind (thank you so much Novelty Lights). I went nostalgic before half the internet decided we were all “going retro” this year. It wasn’t planned. It just felt right to me.
And honestly? The rest of the season has followed that same vibe. Every plan I made just quietly stepped aside, making room for the version of Christmas I didn’t even know I needed.
The older I get, the more I realize the season is held together by the tiniest, almost accidental rituals—the ones that don’t require a spreadsheet, a theme, or even a clean kitchen. They sneak in, become “a thing,” and suddenly December wouldn’t feel right without them. And this year, those small moments are shining brighter than anything I tried to orchestrate.
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The Nightly Tree Moment
Every night, when the house is finally quiet (bless that moment), I turn off the lights and let the tree do her thing. That soft rainbow glow? It gets me every time. It’s barely a ritual—maybe 90 seconds—but somehow it resets my whole mood. I feel grounded, and grateful, and festive all at once.
The Nightly Ornament Straightening I Can’t Stop Doing
Every night I fix at least one ornament that’s slightly crooked or facing the wrong direction. It’s never noticeable to anyone else, but it gives me a weird amount of satisfaction to set it straight. Sometimes it’s more than one, and sometimes its wonky C7’s too—just depends on how hard I look.
The “We’re Definitely Watching a Christmas Movie Tonight” Tradition
This always starts with great ambition and ends with someone (mostly Mad) falling asleep ten minutes into Elf. We still call it “movie night.” And it still totally counts. We’ve never done this every night (or even most nights) and I found myself looking forward to the evenings in a whole new way because of movie time now.
The Santa Situation
Listen. I swore I was keeping things minimal this year. I even said it out loud. But Santas have a way of appearing out of thin air around here, and now it looks like I’m hosting a Santa convention. Jay even said “I’ve never seen that Santa before.” I just smiled. I don’t fight it. They’re charming. Give me all the Santas.
The Pre-Bed Cookie Ritual
One cookie before bed…for “quality control.” Except the only thing I’m controlling is my happiness level, which spikes immediately (along with my blood sugar, LOL). Highly recommend it, though.
The Late-Night Peek Out the Window
Every night before bed, I peek outside to see the neighborhood lights. Nothing dramatic—just a quick moment of quiet wonder that reminds me why I love this season so much. I’ve also been known to walk out front (in my pajamas, of course) to look at our Christmas lights. It’s been years since we’ve put any up and I’ve really missed them.
These tiny, silly rituals are what’s carrying me through the season, you guys. Not the big plans. Not the big holiday parties (we’ve skipped them all!). Not the perfectly styled trees. Not the curated color palettes I abandoned with zero hesitation. Just the small, nearly effortless things that happen on their own, without even trying.
So if your house doesn’t look the way you imagined…if your gifts are in a pile somewhere…if your to-do list feels a little embarrassing…join me. We’re not failing at Christmas. We’re just discovering the parts that actually matter most.
This isn’t the Christmas I planned.
It’s better.
P.S. If you’re looking for these sugar cookies, you can find the recipe right here!