Holidays

5 Holiday Reminders You May Need Right Now

BrookeLeave a comment

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays everyone!

First off, if you celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your friends and family doing something fun. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful day in general. That being said, at the peak of the holiday season, I think there’s a few things we all need to remember. It’s easy to get swept up in the wintery wonder of picture-perfect holiday cards, lavish gifts, and adorable light displays, but it’s important to remember the real meaning of the holidays: spending time with family and friends, giving back, and being thankful for the life and opportunities you have. That being said, here are five things you may want to be conscious of today (and everyday!)/during the holiday season.

  1. You are so lucky to be here in this moment – No matter how hectic your day happens to be and whatever else is going on in your life, take a moment to breathe and appreciate that you have made it through another year and another holiday season. Not everyone is able to say that. Whether it’s a holiday or not, it’s another day that we are blessed enough to experience.
  2. Your holiday doesn’t have to be perfect – The commercialized expectation of Christmas and the holidays can make us think our holidays aren’t grand enough if we don’t have a huge, fancy dinner or get showered in luxurious gifts, but that is far from the truth. If you’re lucky enough to have that experience, that’s great! Just remember that’s not what the holidays are truly about. For others, don’t compare your experience to those around you- it’s all about the spirit you bring to the day.
  3. It’s okay to not want to spend time with some of your family members – I know I’ve put a lot of emphasis on spending time with your loved ones. That being said, I know some people have a lot of struggles in dealing with their family, whether it’s rooted in toxic relationships, abuse, or something else. If this is the case, don’t feel pressured or guilted into spending time with anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable. If anything, seek comfort in those who love and accept you for who you are.
  4. A lot of people (strangers, anyone!) would be so grateful to experience some Christmas cheer and generosity – If you are able to, it would be amazing if you could donate some time or money this holiday season. My family always donates gifts to Toys for Tots and sometimes canned goods to a local food drive. If you’re unable to donate money/items, donate your time and serve holiday meals at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter, or find other opportunities to help out.
  5. Today, like any day, is what you make of it – More than anything, the holidays are just an excuse to celebrate all of the good things you have been given in life (people, etc.). It’s not actually different than any other day, and it’s up to you how you approach it or spend the time. If you’re not a fan of the holidays, you don’t have to spend them watching movies and decorating. Make your own traditions and go on a hike! That’s just one example- you can literally do anything.

I hope this finds the eyes of people who needed to read it. Happy holidays everyone- remember you are loved. I’m here to talk to any of you always, and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and/or Hanukkah (if you celebrate!).

Brooke

Fun Holiday Activities For Friends & Family Gatherings

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

Merry Christmas Eve! Christmas is almost here and Hanukkah has begun, so what better time than now to do something fun with the people you love? Whether you’re bored over the break and wanting to make plans or searching for an activity to do with your family at your Christmas Eve/Christmas dinner festivities, you’ve come to the right place. My family likes to keep busy and we’ve implemented many different types of things into our holiday celebrations over the years, so here are a few of my favorites.

  • Ice skating – A winter classic, everyone can enjoy going ice skating at least once during the holiday season. My local rink even decorates for Christmas with a fake snow mound in the center and fake trees for photo-ops, coupled with Christmas music playing and hot cocoa served. If you want to do something more active, this is perfect.
  • Going to the movies – Another somewhat basic activity that most of the family or group will enjoy. I think my family plans on going to the movies Christmas afternoon- we did last year, and it was a pleasant time.
  • Post-Christmas shopping – If you end up getting a lot of gift cards or money, you can go shopping and pick out some nice things for yourself. It’s a good time to shop with all the post-holiday sales; I recall there were a lot of good deals last year.
  • Holiday movie binging or movie binging in general – Sometimes you just don’t want to leave the house, and why would you? Between Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, the streaming options are endless. I’m personally not that into holiday movies, but curling up on the couch and watching any movie feels festive to me. Bonus points for hot chocolate!
  • Craft night – My family has done this every Christmas Eve since I can remember. My mom gets supplies to make some sort of festive craft (often an ornament or something similar) and everyone can customize it to their liking. It’s perfect because it’s lighthearted and fun- people can get super into it if they want and make it a masterpiece, or they can make it silly and mess around. It also makes a good gift for little kids to give to their parents!
  • Baking something sweet for everyone to enjoy – My mom likes to bake cookies and cakes around the holiday season, and it’s something everyone can benefit from. If you’re the person who likes to bake, make something to bring over to whatever holiday party you may attend. If you’re the person who wants someone else to bake, organize the ingredients and find someone in your family who would like to do most of the work, with you being their trusty assistant.
  • Secret Santa/white elephant exchange – It’s a little late in the game to organize one of these, but I can’t leave it off of this list. I participate in at least one Secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange every year, and it’s such a fun thing to do with friends to get in the holiday spirit. I love seeing people open their gifts and guessing who got it for them.
  • Potluck – Another way to reduce the cost and effort in hosting/organizing a holiday gathering is having everyone bring their favorite recipe or dish. There’s usually more than enough food if everyone follows through, and who doesn’t love a good buffet?
  • Drive to the snow – This is pretty dependent on where you live, but I think it would be really fun to take a mini-trip to the snow. If you live in Southern CA like me, snow is hours away, but if you live in a snowy place already, all you have to do is walk outside! I’ve actually never seen real snow in my life besides the last remnants of snow melting on the ground when I visited Washington D.C. at the beginning of spring in eighth grade, so it would be really fun to go to the snow.

I hope these ideas inspired you to add a little flair to your holiday celebrations and helped you figure out what to do with any company you may be having these next couple of days. Personally, I will be celebrating Christmas Eve at my aunt’s house with most of my mom’s side of the family, and Christmas will be a smaller affair with just me, my mom, my dad, and my brother. Our celebrations have definitely scaled-down as I’ve gotten older, but I’m always excited to see everyone and fulfill our holiday traditions during this time of year.

Happy Holidays!

Brooke

5 Fun and Productive Ways to Spend Winter Break

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

Winter break is upon us, and it’s finally a good, long, hard-earned break from the craziness of school. It’s time to indulge in all the things I love about the holiday season- especially hot chocolate and movies. That being said, there’s a lot of other fun ways to spend your break that are also productive! In case you’re searching for another activity to supplement your Netflix-bingeing, keep reading.

  • Volunteer for a good cause – The holidays are a great time to give back to your community since there’s so many people in need. You can serve a holiday dinner at a soup kitchen, help collect donations for a toy drive, work with charities that help veterans and foster kids get presents- the possibilities are endless, and there’s so many worthy causes.
  • Spruce up your room for the new year – This might not be fun depending on who you are, but I plan on doing a deep clean and some reorganizing of my room over the break. If there’s decorations you get as presents or something you’ve been wanting to change in your room, now’s the time to put that all together!
  • Make plans for the summer – You can get a head start on planning summer trips, or applying to summer programs since applications open soon. I’m personally trying to figure out what I’m going to do over the summer, especially since there’s so many options and things I’m interested in doing. This is the perfect time to figure it out and do research if you’re not sure where to start.
  • Exercise and get a head start on your New Year’s resolutions – We all get busy and end up cutting exercise out when we’re short on time, but we also all make “be healthy!” and “exercise more!” our New Year’s resolutions every year. While I have the time, I’ll try and have a more consistent workout routine over these couple weeks. It’s probably a good idea with all the holiday food I’ll be eating anyways, right?
  • Start a passion project – Do whatever that thing is that you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t had time to. Read a book series, write something, make art, start a mini-business, start a blog! The hardest and most time-consuming part is getting started, so this is the time to do it so you can keep it up easily once break is over.

I hope this gives you some ideas for how to spend your break. Remember to keep a balance and spend lots of time with family and friends, enjoying the holiday season and celebrating each other’s presence. Personally, I have to study for finals, so I am going to have quite a busy break! Happy holidays 🙂

-Brooke

10 Festive Things That Remind Me of Christmas

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

As Christmas quickly approaches, I’ve been trying to get myself more into the holiday spirit. With the last week of school before winter break coming to an end, I can now fully appreciate all the things I love about winter and Christmas. Here in Southern California, it definitely doesn’t get super cold or snowy, so we kind of have to use our imagination and try extra hard to be festive.

  1. Driving around and looking at Christmas lights – My neighborhood has a couple streets that go all out, and it’s so magical to walk by and soak it all in. My family has never been the super festive type that goes all out with decorations, but I love to look at houses that do. My friend’s neighborhood has a bunch of great streets, so I usually drive around there.
  2. Drinking hot chocolate – I LOVE hot chocolate. Honestly, I’ll drink it from winter until summer as long as it’s not too hot. Whether it’s from Starbucks, my favorite local coffee shop, or the kind from a packet in one of my favorite mugs at home, it’s the perfect winter treat- especially with mini marshmallows.
  3. Watching Christmas movies, or any movies – I’m not the biggest fan of Christmas movies, but watching any movie on a cold day with hot chocolate gets me in the Christmas mood. It’s kind of a weird Christmas movie to watch so much, but I watch Good Luck Charlie: It’s Christmas every year, since it reminds me of my family.
  4. Eating a candy cane – I used to love candy canes even more when I was little, but I still love to eat one. I like swirling it around in my hot chocolate too. Bonus points if you get the end of the candy cane to a sharp point.
  5. Lighting candles – I’ve already mentioned this quite a few times, but I absolutely love lighting candles. It makes the atmosphere so peaceful and your house smell amazing.
  6. Ice skating with friends – I’m definitely not the best at ice skating, but it’s always fun to go to the local rink with friends or family. My local rink decorates for the winter season with fake snow and trees in the center- it almost feels like we live in a place with real winter!
  7. Wearing beanies and gloves – Being cozy is the best thing ever, and cute winter accessories add to the look!
  8. Wearing sweaters and sweatpants – I love being comfy year-round, but in winter it’s actually acceptable to wear sweatpants around. Actually, maybe it’s not- oh well.
  9. Wrapping presents – I’ve really improved my wrapping skills over the past couple years. I love picking out presents as well, so it’s even more fun to put them together and give them to the recipients.
  10. Baking cookies – There’s nothing better than the smell of fresh baked goods. I love making fresh chocolate-chip cookies, or those pre-made ones with the winter pictures on them (you know the ones).

I hope this inspired you to get in the Christmas/holiday spirit and enjoy your winter break. There’s so much to enjoy during this time of year, so let’s soak it up while it lasts.

-Brooke

Christmas From a Non-Religious Family’s Point of View

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

As part of my quest to find unique post ideas relating to Christmas and the holidays, today I will be discussing how my Christmas celebration/experience differs since my family is not religious. Christmas is still a tradition in our house because both my parents were raised fairly Christian and celebrated it, but neither of my parents really stuck to a religion when they were older. I’ve never been to church in my life, and I don’t celebrate the religious aspect of Christmas.

In my family, Christmas is mainly about celebrating the spirit of giving and being generous towards others. My dad is in our local Rotary club, and he gets assigned four kids to buy Christmas gifts for every year. I also usually donate to my school’s Toys for Tots drive, and volunteer gift wrapping gifts at Barnes and Noble through my charity group. I put a lot of effort into making/finding the perfect gifts for my friends, teachers, and family, and I get excited to help my mom decorate the house for Christmas.

People always say that Christmas is about celebrating Jesus and not the gifts- I definitely agree that it’s not all about the gifts, but I don’t think you need to be very religious to take part in celebrating Christmas and its other typical traditions. All of the things I love about Christmas don’t really have to do with its religious roots- I think anyone can understand the importance of giving and celebrate.

I hope no one takes offense to this- I would actually like to go to church on Christmas one day and experience that aspect of the holiday as well. I have a few other Christmas post ideas that will be up soon, so keep an eye out!

-Brooke

Why the Holiday Season Isn’t Always So Jolly

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

I know my last two posts have been centered around the holidays and gift-giving, but today I want to discuss the holiday season in a different way. For many people, Christmas/the holidays are actually a very sad and lonely time. My family’s gone through a lot in the past few years, so I’ve seen Christmas from this perspective as well. My grandma who lived ten minutes away from me and was super close to everyone in my family passed away in 2017, and the holidays haven’t been the same since. In addition, we’ve drifted away from cousins on my dad’s side of the family for various reasons, distance being one of them.

I have memories of our house being full, having a huge fake tree, and setting up multiple tables so everyone could fit at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners when I was really little. Once I got a little older, the celebration shrunk, but we still kept a lot of the same traditions; we did a family craft night on Christmas Eve, watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and sipped hot cocoa, and woke up wayyyy too early to open gifts and have pancakes for breakfast.

In the past few years though, the holidays haven’t felt very celebratory at all. I still get excited to decorate the tree, buy gifts for people, and participate in winter activities like ice skating and Secret Santa gift exchanges with friends, but when it comes to the actual holidays itself, things often fall short of how I remember them to be. Last Christmas, I remember opening my gifts and thanking my parents, but going up to my room after to cry. It just felt so lonely, having only my mom, my dad, and my brother there. I don’t feel lonely on any other day with just our small family, but during the holidays when it’s expected to spend time with family and I see my friends with their huge family parties filled with relatives they don’t even know, my celebration seems meek and sad in comparison.

Again, it’s not about the gifts or anything my parents are doing wrong. I am so grateful for all the family members that think to send me gifts and the time my parents spend picking out gifts they think I’ll like; however, this doesn’t replace the gaping hole left behind by my grandma’s absence. My grandma’s not the only person we used to celebrate with that we don’t spend Christmas with anymore, but she’s the person I miss the most.

Regardless, if you feel lonely this Christmas or anytime during the holiday season, just know you’re not alone. This time isn’t the “most wonderful time of the year” for everyone, and that’s okay. Don’t get yourself too down- still try to enjoy the wintry magic the holidays have to offer, but forget about comparing your holiday experience to others, and just remember what this time of year is all about. Spend time with the people you care about that are around, participate in the spirit of giving if you’re able, and be thankful you’re alive to experience another holiday season.

I sincerely apologize if any of this sounded preachy, but I don’t know how else to word my thoughts. For the past couple years, I’ve cried in my room after every major holiday. It just feels weird to grow up and not feel the ~magic~ anymore, in addition to time flying by and it not even feeling like the holidays are actually here. That being said, I hope you all have the best holiday season ever. Remember, you’re never alone.

-Brooke

Gift Ideas Under $20 to Up Your Secret Santa Game – For Her

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

If you were frantically searching the internet for ideas on what to get for a Secret Santa gift exchange, you’ve found the right place. I know the price limit on a gift exchange always seems daunting- you’re glad it’s not too pricey, but how are you supposed to get a great gift that the person will love for such a small sum? Here you have it- the best and most clever gifts that won’t break the bank.

For her:

  • Fuzzy socks – Old Navy has really cheap fuzzy socks, but Target and Nordstrom Rack also have a lot of cute ones.
  • Candles!! Target has affordable candles that are still really good- Homegoods is another place to look for various different brands. I absolutely love Anthropologie’s candles, but the full size ones are over $20- you can get a mini size for cheaper though!
  • Victoria’s Secret/VS PINK body products – Their body sprays and lotions are always on sale, and sometimes they have gift sets that are an even better deal.
  • Gift cards – Before you groan and say, ‘That’s so basic!”, think about going a little bit outside of the box. Instead of getting a gift card to her favorite clothing store, get her gift cards she can use at her favorite fast food places, favorite restaurants, favorite boutiques, the movies, or to important/useful services like Uber and grocery store gift cards. The possibilities are endless depending on what she likes!
  • Fuzzy blanket – Everyone loves a good throw blanket! I received a fluffy blanket last year in a Secret Santa; I believe you can find them on Amazon or stores like Marshalls and Homegoods for under or around $20.
  • Candy/snacks – If all else fails, everyone has a favorite food or snack. Fill up a gift bag with tons of sweets and they’re bound to love it- bonus points for being homemade!
  • A nice stationary set – For the girls with perfect notes, they would love a new notebook or set of pens. The Zebra midliners and Muji pens are really popular at my school right now, and you can get them on Amazon or your local stationary store.
  • Bath bombs – LUSH has my favorite scents, but you can get them pretty much anywhere- Target has even cheaper ones and they’re still just as good. I just find the LUSH ones look the prettiest.
  • A care package – If you get the items on the cheaper side, you can put together a cute package of lots of the items I’ve already listed. Go to Target and get a combination of candy, face masks, bath bombs, and fuzzy socks, and almost any girl will be happy.
  • Portable charger – If she already has a portable charger, you can get a wireless charger for them to use at home. For a girl on the go, or the girl constantly on her phone, this can be a real lifesaver. If I know I’m going to be out for the whole day, I never leave without mine.
  • Framed picture of the two of you – If you want to get creative, you could also make a collage or it could be a Polaroid picture in one of those cute Polaroid frames from Urban Outfitters. It’s a sentimental gift they’ll appreciate, and it doubles as cute room decor.
  • Beanie or some sort of hat – It’s winter and it’s cold; beanies have been trendy lately, and you can find them in any store. If they already wear and love beanies, get them a fun color you know they wouldn’t have.
  • Scrunchies – The ultimate VSCO girl trend, but also a practical gift for all. There are packs on Amazon that are super cheap and have every style imaginable- if you want to go for the best quality, get Urban Outfitters or Lululemon, but they’re much more expensive.
  • Stickers from Redbubble – There are SO many cute stickers on this website; I asked for some for my Hydro Flask this year. You can put them on your laptop, your water bottle, your notebooks, or anything you desire. The point is, there’s tons of options and it’s super customizable.
  • Astrology related gifts – If they believe in astrology, get them something related to their zodiac sign. Whether it’s a necklace, a book about their sign, or some room decor, this is a cute gift and something they probably don’t have.
  • Glossier products – This is perfect for the girl who loves makeup, or wants to get into it. I have their balm.com chapstick in multiple flavors and absolutely LOVE it. Their most-talked-about products are the Boy Brow, Balm.com, Milky Jelly Cleanser, and Cloud Paint blush. Based on what her style is, choose the product you think she’ll use most.

I hope this guide helps you find the perfect gift for your Secret Santa. It’s crazy to think December’s almost over and we’ll soon be ringing in the new year. Enjoy the holiday season while it lasts, and have so much fun getting into the spirit of giving. I have a few more holiday posts coming soon!

-Brooke