Holiday happiness....

I don’t know about you, but there are so many things I look forward to every Christmas.  Things that make me happy…shall we say a bit giddy?  Things that gives me that feeling inside my chest like the scene from How the Grinch Stole Christmas where my heart grows a little bit too big for “the frame”.  Some of the things that I look forward to each year and that make me happy... well the list is pretty long... and in no special order.

Christmas music.  And yes, I start playing it on November 1^st.  I’m actually amazed that I am able to hold off that long.  This year my favorite is Michael Buble’s new Christmas CD.  I have listened to it over and over since November 1^st.  Should I really be admitting to that?  AND in full disclosure, I do sing along!

Shopping.  I don’t even mind the crowds… I do the majority of my shopping for “must haves” online so the shopping I do in person is mostly for fun.  It’s amazing how much fun it can be when there isn’t pressure to find that one specific item on someone’s list.

Sales.  I love the Thanksgiving newspaper sale flyers... and every Sunday after that.  In fact, come January it is always such a surprise when the paper gets so thin!  I'm not usually looking for anything in the flyers but I love sitting with my latte every Sunday, in my pj's, looking through all the ads.

December magazines.  I look forward to the December issue of my magazine subscriptions in early November and keep them in a stack throughout the holidays to look at over and over.

Presents.  Yep, I love getting presents…. I thing we all do… we just don’t actually want to fess up to it!  When my husband and I got married, I open end each and every present and loved every minute of it.

Holiday catalogs.  I’m probably the only person that loves to get all of those holiday catalogs each year… and I’m pretty sure I’m the only one that looks through the ones no one has ever heard of!

Christmas in the grocery store.  You know… all the holiday foods and specialty items.  When I start seeing those displays in the grocery store, well I know that the holidays are coming.

Decorating.  I’ve said it before… I have 19 bins of Christmas decorations and I LOVE spending a couple of days over the Thanksgiving holiday decorating my house… I don’t care if some think I go overboard… it makes me happy.

Christmas lights.  I love seeing the first house with Christmas lights each year.  When I was young a family tradition was to drive around our town looking at Christmas lights… my favorites were always the simple.  Just lights around the roof edges… perhaps in red and white… and blue and green was another favorite combo.

Snow.  But with a disclaimer… JUST at Christmas… and only if it doesn’t mess up anybody’s travel plans!

Santa Claus.  Need I say more?

The Nutcracker.  My daughter and I have been many times, including an amazing one a couple of years ago in Seattle.

Gift giving.  As much as I love presents, I also love finding the perfect “something” for someone.  Each year there is at least one gift that I find for someone that I’m so excited to give.  It doesn’t have to be an expensive gift, it may be handmade, but it’s that one gift that is sooo perfect for that someone.

Anything on the Hallmark or Lifetime channel with a Christmas theme.  I’m a sucker for any and every Christmas movie ever made.

Blogging.  And visiting all of you... seeing your holiday crafts, decorations and ideas.

Christmas cards and newsletters.  Am I the only one who actually LIKES people to send me their annual newsletter?  I love hearing what junior has accomplished this year!

Sugar cookies.  Martha Stewart’s recipe for the cookie… my recipe for frosting.  Enough said.

Rankin and Bass Christmas specials.  I’m dating myself here, but I grew up in the era of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town so I have an attachment to these stop animation Christmas specials.

And my all time favorite?  Spending time with my family.

What makes you happy at the holidays?

linking up to

It's a Very Cherry World - REDnesday

The Brambleberry Cottage - Time Travel Thursday