We are officially down to single digits until Christmas. Though I give myself a solid A- score on Christmas prep this year (which is why I’ll never take those “don’t start anything before Thanksgiving” comments to heart), there are still things to do. We plan to do our annual tradition of family team Christmas shopping this this weekend (Kaitlyn and I are teamed up this year), I have some gifts still to wrap, and Sunday will be spent in the kitchen all day (which actually sounds cozy and exciting because it means I’ll have so much of our Christmas menu made). But first, a quick and festive Friday five before we jump into the weekend…

A note to the Magic Makers

I’ve thought of you other mamas out there working hard to make the magic of the holiday season come to life for your family. I want to stop right here and give you a little high five and a smack on the butt (too personal?). You’re doing an amazing job, your kids feel loved, and here’s your reminder to knock what you can off your list, but then when the time comes, let it go, enjoy what is, and be part of the experience. That’s the best gift you can give your family, after all.

Your family will remember your presence and peace of mind more than any present or dish. Let the mistakes and mishaps happen; they’ll be the memories you’ll smile at for years to come. You’ve got this <3

The Nutcracker

Mom came to town for a special mid-week visit. We got our nails painted and mom, Hailey, and Kaitlyn all tried gel for the first time. The ladies at the salon had a good giggle at our awe of how they immediately dried. We are all loving that the polish is lasting, too. It’s not an all the time thing for us, but it sure feels special for Christmas.

Wednesday morning we went into Charlotte for a special showing of The Nutcracker, put on by Charlotte Ballet. We bought tickets month ago at a special discounted price for North Carolina homeschoolers. The production was engaging (even with ALL those kids) and the dancers were wonderful. As a special treat, they had some of the dancers come out at intermission to answer questions from the audience. It felt so festive; what a treat!

Winter Stroll and The Christmas Pig

Reporting back on two book winners! You know I’m not a veracious reader of novels, as I often prefer self development, but December is different. Last December I read Winter Street, the first book in a series of four by Elin Hilderbrand, and this year I read the second, Winter Stroll. It felt like catching up with old friends and I adore this family and storyline because it’s so cozy but not overly cheesy. The characters feel life-like, flawed but endearing. Highly recommend.

The Christmas Pig came highly recommended to me. It’s written by JK Rowling so I had high hopes. I downloaded the audio version, which is so well done with sound effects and voices. It started off rather sad, and Kaitlyn even burst into tears at one point, but we stuck with it and journeyed into The Land of the Lost with the Christmas Pig, falling in love with the adventure and funny characters along the way. A great Christmas family read aloud for sure!

The Gift of Food

If you’re looking for a last minute, but quality gift idea, consider food. I love the Wildgrain delivery boxes full of cook-from-frozen artisan breads, pastas, and baked goods. It would make an amazing gift for anyone who values quality ingredients and convenience.

Butcher Box is offering two pounds of free grass-fed ground beef in every box for life from now until December 22. I believe it’s one of their best sign up deals. They also have a special “gifts” tab where you don’t have to have a subscription to give someone an incredible gift of quality protein. Great for the foodie who enjoys cooking.

Daily Harvest can be a thoughtful gift for the busy friend looking to get more organic fruits and veggies into their diet in an easy and delicious way. They also have a gift section that requires no subscription.

Christmas Posts

Perhaps some of these will be helpful to you, as you head into a festive weekend:

• Watch these Christmas movies for young kids.
• Read these favorite Christmas books.
• Craft this pretty ornament.
• Bake these cream cheese cookies.
• Shop these stocking stuffer and gift guides.
• Play in the kitchen with these holiday kitchen crafts for young kids.

And that’s a WRAP (Christmas pun intended). I’m off to throw in a load of laundry, finalize my “make ahead” grocery list, and turn on some Christmas tunes. Hope you have a very merry weekend; thanks so much for stopping by the blog today!