Weekend Reading #130

My favourite reads from the week.

Hello friends, happy Friday – the first in December none the less! It’s crazy to think that Christmas is just three weeks away now. Are you feeling ready for it, or are you just getting started with your shopping and decorating? Maybe you’re somewhere in between like me – well on your way, but not quite there yet.

We’ve been busy filling the house with all things Christmas around here these last few weeks and it’s definitely feeling very festive. Brady and Carson have also been hard at work in the back yard as well, getting the skating rink ready to flood and decorating all around it with lights. It looks like a magical winter wonderland out there! While I’m a bit bummed we missed the boat this year getting our exterior all decked out in lights (it snowed a ton right after Halloween and never did melt away before the next big snowfall came around), I have to say, I’m really excited that the lights we did get up around the rink are ones that we can enjoy from inside our main living areas all season long (you can spot a bit of them out the window in this photo!).

We don’t do a ton of shopping for gifts around here – Carson, Brady and I all pick out a few special things for each other (of course Carson always finds a few extra presents under the tree) and then we can never resist finding something really special to gift to our nieces, often some sort of experience gift if we can (last year we took them to the Nutcracker ballet in the city – we LOVE finding ways to spend some extra special time with them). Aside from that, it’s really just a few little teacher gifts (I always love giving a cozy blanket, candle and a sweet treat), and some local couture chocolate and a coffee gift card for a few others such as our mail and delivery carriers and Carson’s bus driver. We always skip the gifts with my side of the family (aside from Carson, who always gets something little to open) in favour of spending some time together doing something special – this year we’ll be spending a couple of days in the city, taking in some Christmas light displays, heading out for some delicious meals together and attending A Christmas Carol. We’re also skipping the gifts with Brady’s side as well, heading to the mountains for a ski weekend together with everyone instead. I LOVE that we’ve all found these ways to prioritize spending this time together – our memories of these special moments will last so much longer than any present ever could. And it sure gives us so much to look forward to through the holiday season!