Happy December First! Happy Holidays!!
We potatoes, wanted to take a moment on this first day of December to warmly usher in the holiday season! It's truly one of our all-time favorite times of the year, and while we have an exciting lineup of films to cover this month, we thought we'd kick things off a bit differently by celebrating the beginning of the season!
Now that the calendar has finally flipped to December, let's all take a collective breath and just enjoy it. Admittedly, it's a bit tricky, especially for us adults! Everything seems expensive, stressful, and the pressure is intense. Despite that, the holiday season, with its twinkling lights, festive traditions, and a wide variety of holidays, beckons us to immerse ourselves in the warmth of our favorite traditions!
In this blog post, we're doing a light dive into the magic of the holiday season, our cherished aspects of it, as well as some of the challenges that often come with this time of year. We potatoes, personally celebrate Yule, but hey, if you prefer to call it Christmas, that's perfectly fine! And if you celebrate something entirely different, that's awesome! Do you!
We absolutely adore everything about this time of year, the tree, wreaths, decorating, the lights, the cold weather, gift-giving, and so much more. Let's start with our love for colder weather! We see it as the perfect time to indulge in a lot of reading, reflection, and, of course, general self-care.
There's a unique coziness that comes with the holiday season, and we potatoes are all for it! Winter is the time for warm scarves, cozy sweaters, and the comfort of holding a hot mug filled with your favorite beverage. The simple pleasure of snuggling up with a loved one or enjoying a classic holiday movie adds an extra layer of contentment to the chilly air!
Traditions hold a special place in our hearts. Decorating the Christmas tree, baking festive treats, and the joy of opening advent calendar doors, all these traditions create a sense of continuity and fun. And if you happen to spend the holiday season away from family, we suggest creating your own unique and fun holiday traditions! It's a game-changer!
We potatoes love to indulge in our favorite Christmas/Yule films and even choose a theme for our food every year to keep things exciting in the kitchen! This year, we're diving into our favorite Italian foods for Yule. The potential menu discussions have already begun, and it's shaping up to be a particularly delicious holiday season!
Now, with the holiday season officially upon us, it's crucial to acknowledge that it can bring complexities. If you're grappling with grief this holiday season, we potatoes deeply understand and hope you give yourself a lot of kindness and the space to grieve. The pressure and expectations of the season can be overwhelmingly difficult, especially for those dealing with toxic and highly dysfunctional family situations.
It can feel like everything is warped, wrapped in grief, guilt, shame, and more. If you're proactively protecting yourself this year, we potatoes are proud of you. It's tough, and societal pressures are often unhelpful. Remember, you matter. Your well-being, general health, and holiday season matter. Be kind and gentle with yourself, and do what's best for you despite what society or family may say. No one knows you and what you need better than yourself.
In the midst of all the stress and exhaustion of the holidays, it's crucial to prioritize well-being and mental health. One of the biggest joy-sappers can be unrealistic expectations. Setting realistic expectations and goals is a fantastic way to avoid needless pressure and perfectionism. Giving yourself the gift of freedom, taking back your holiday season, creating your own traditions, taking care of yourself, and prioritizing yourself is extremely liberating!
As December's magic unfolds, let the holiday season be more than external celebrations; let it be a time for inner nourishment. Embrace the enchantment, create moments of joy when you can and where you can, and, above all, prioritize well-being amidst the festivities. Let us allow the magic of the holiday season to captivate us by recapturing it for ourselves. May it be a time of joy, connection, and lasting memories! Cheers to the start of the Holiday season and cheers to you!
What holiday or holiday’s do you celebrate during this time of year? What are your favorite traditions? Have you come up with any new or different traditions? What do you think of the Holiday season? Any and all thoughts are welcome! Let us know down in the comments and always remember to be safe and take care of you!