five: holiday cheers ? photosbyjennaleigh

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FIVE: holiday cheers

?may your days be merry and bright.?

here?s an image from last years christmas card, i can?t wait to share our card for this year!?

?tis the season for cookies, lattes, sweaters, and wool socks. a time to be thankful, a time to give gifts, and a time to be with family. is it just me or is everyone wondering where the heck october went and how the heck thanksgiving is next week? i don?t know, it just might be me. but as i start to design christmas cards, (which are killer, might i add) i think about all of the ridiculously awesome things we have to be excited for this holiday season, let me count the ways?. okay, i?ll just give you five silly things that i can?t wait to experience in the next few months. hello, holidays, here jenna comes!

1.) give thanks: i love this time of year because people actually stop (i hope) and give thanks for the blessings they have. it is a time when you are apt to see more thankfulness around every corner. we live in a time where all we want is more, the media does a great job of telling us that what we have is not enough and what we want is right within reach. i choose to not fall for that, i don?t need a darn thing but my family, my pup, and a warm blankie? it?s true, i am always cold. i love this time of year because we are reminded to express our gratitude and think about the cool things we have in this life. i sure know i am one grateful gal.?

2.) presence, not presents:?yeah, i said it, i am not all about presents. the older i get, the less i want to deal with the crowds at the mall to pick out a twenty dollar something that nobody needs. instead, i want to give the gift of presence. to be in the moment, to be surrounded by the gift of experiences and not things. at this moment in time i can?t even think of one thing to tell someone to buy me? except maybe wool socks, yes, i am that person who enjoys wool socks in her stocking. i am challenging my family to save pennies on gifts we don?t need and invest in time spent together. i would rather enjoy experiences, then things. maybe it is just me? maybe not. so my gift to you, is me! i can even put a bow on my head if you?d like.?

3.) gather ?round: ?when i think about the holidays i always think of family. i think of being surrounded with all of my family, wearing expandable pants, and taking naps. i think of a million cousins running around and eating egg bake on a tv tray at grandmas, because the house is so filled with family. the ?oohs? and ?ahhs? resounding as we opened presents one by one, cheering and thanking one another. i think of family card games, warm cups of coffee, candlelight church services, stockings hung in a row, but most of all i think of it as a time to come together and enjoy each other. i don?t think about the countless hours in the car to get from destination to destination, i forget about the pretty wrapped presents, and i remember the people. i am excited to celebrate for more than a hot minute with my family this year!?

4.) holiday cheer: who doesn?t love the red starbucks cups with hot holiday lattes, the beautiful christmas lights, wreaths and garland? last year i was so busy working that drew bought and decorated our tree by himself? our very first year of marriage and i was so absent during the holidays, i don?t even remember them. this year, i am fresh out of retail and i feel like for the first time in years i will be able to enjoy each and every holiday joy from the ornaments to the lights. i won?t dread black friday all thanksgiving day and won?t be having nightmares of getting trampled by the crowds of shoppers. i will get to celebrate each holiday without thinking about the next one, now that is huge! this year i can sit on the couch, watch the snow fall down, and soak in the real reason for the season. i can?t wait to snuggle up with my hubby and let the holiday cheer illuminate our hearts. now this, well, this excites me.?

5.) christmas mail:?okay, i am sap, i save christmas cards? there, i said it. last year i hung up every christmas card and kept them up almost year round to stare at my friends pretty faces and cute messages. i love sending mail and i love making treks out to the mailbox to find sweet cards, fun pictures, and holiday cheer stuffed envelopes. this year i am so excited to send out all kinds of goodness in the form of mail, because i know how much i love them. i love the process of addressing, stamping, and mailing them out. long live the postal service, if only for the form of christmas mail. so send some holiday cheer my way if you want your face on our wall all year round.?

what warms your heart the most during the holidays?

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