it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

[note from s: I wrote this last night during It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!]

I can’t believe that it’s November 1st already. Where has this year gone?

Today marks the beginning of the best 8 weeks of the year: HOLIDAY SEASON! 

I know, I know. It was literally just Halloween yesterday. I get it. We haven’t have Thanksgiving yet. I know.

But in my world, it is perfectly acceptable to begin listening to Christmas music today. Starbucks agrees with me somewhat, since they debut their iconic red cups every year on November 1. And this weekend is the University School of Milwaukee Holiday Shops, the premier holiday boutique in the city. (I’ll have a full recap of this year’s event next week.)

first red cup of the season this morning!

It’s become a running joke with my guy friend S that as soon as Christmas music starts being played on Milwaukee radio, we immediately have to text the other one to let them know. I will never forget the time a few years ago when he called me on Halloween to tell me that 99.1 WMYX was already playing Christmas music!

This is my favorite time of year because I have always spent it with my family. We have so many traditions, starting with attending the USM Holiday Shops. My mom and I have gone for years and each year, I buy an ornament from a vendor from Chicago. In a few weeks, my mom will start making Christmas cookies. She’ll rope me into making them with her probably (cooking is not one of my strengths) and we’ll freeze them until Christmas Day and then we’ll eat ourselves silly. We’ll venture out on Black Friday and brave the crowds to find some awesome deals. And we always pick out our tree as a family… trying to find the biggest, fattest one we can find. We all decorate the tree together: dad strings the lights, and then the rest of us hang tinsel, candy canes and ornaments.

There will be lots of laughter and certainly lots of memories.

So, lovelies, what holiday is YOUR favorite? Leave us a comment and let us know. 🙂 Happy (early) Holidays!

xoxo,
s