Meet Me On The Mat: A Very LA Christmas
Good morning and Merry Christmas to all my family and friends!
I'm missing you all so much... today more than ever. Christmas is probably one of my most favorite times of the year.
This year, Sam and I are celebrating the holiday out here in California. Since we just saw my family in late November and we'll be traveling back east a lot next year for some weddings, we decided to stay put.A California Christmas definitely has its mix of pros and cons.- We won't be seeing our dear family and friends. Not going to lie, this has been hard for me to grapple with. And I've already told Sam, I don't know if I could ever do this again. The holidays MEAN family. And my friends are my family, too. So it's been a little hard.- There's no snow, but there's a nice chill in the air. Growing up snow meant it was Christmas time. No shoveling is nice but I hear Massachusetts is getting a snowy Christmas this year and well, I'm a little jealous. Buttttttt, we are going to go up to the mountains over the weekend, so we may just get some snow there.- It's not the countryside, but the streets have emptied out since everyone's been traveling home. LA with no traffic is almost unimaginable- Speaking of travel, we haven't had to pack up and go anywhere... so now hassle there.- We are starting to make our own traditions... (more on that below)- It's quiet. Like realllllllly quiet. And for me, thats both peaceful and weird. I'm used to busy, loud and packed holiday plans, so learning to relax for me this time of year is a real lesson.- I have the whole week off and can fill it up with anything I want to do. Resting, shopping, maybe getting a massage, hiking, extra yoga, cooking, seeing friends!At the end of the day, Christmas is all about who you're with. Just to be with Sam makes my Christmas special. I've got a good one!
Starting new traditions as a family:Right now, Sam and I are just s tiny family of two. Of course someday we plan on growing our family and sharing these traditions each year with them.The other day, we were talking about the importance of holiday traditions to us and how we wanted to start a few of our own.Some of these were included in my December to-do calendar.Here are a few that stand out:- Make mulled wine (this is a new tradition and since it's soooo tasty, we'll keep this one up)- Make a French toast casserole on Christmas morning (we stole this recipe/tradition from Sam's mom)- Drive to see Christmas lights with hot cocoa in hand (we love going to Christmas Tree Lane in Altadena, CA)
- Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas (a classic that we love)- Go ice skating (this one's more for me because I figure-skated for 7 years when I was much younger)
What do the holidays mean to you?Which traditions do you have and which new ones have you added into your life?I hope wherever you are, whatever you're doing, and whatever your Christmas looks like, it's extra bright.
See you in a few days,Ari
I'm missing you all so much... today more than ever. Christmas is probably one of my most favorite times of the year.This year, Sam and I are celebrating the holiday out here in California. Since we just saw my family in late November and we'll be traveling back east a lot next year for some weddings, we decided to stay put.A California Christmas definitely has its mix of pros and cons.- We won't be seeing our dear family and friends. Not going to lie, this has been hard for me to grapple with. And I've already told Sam, I don't know if I could ever do this again. The holidays MEAN family. And my friends are my family, too. So it's been a little hard.- There's no snow, but there's a nice chill in the air. Growing up snow meant it was Christmas time. No shoveling is nice but I hear Massachusetts is getting a snowy Christmas this year and well, I'm a little jealous. Buttttttt, we are going to go up to the mountains over the weekend, so we may just get some snow there.- It's not the countryside, but the streets have emptied out since everyone's been traveling home. LA with no traffic is almost unimaginable- Speaking of travel, we haven't had to pack up and go anywhere... so now hassle there.- We are starting to make our own traditions... (more on that below)- It's quiet. Like realllllllly quiet. And for me, thats both peaceful and weird. I'm used to busy, loud and packed holiday plans, so learning to relax for me this time of year is a real lesson.- I have the whole week off and can fill it up with anything I want to do. Resting, shopping, maybe getting a massage, hiking, extra yoga, cooking, seeing friends!At the end of the day, Christmas is all about who you're with. Just to be with Sam makes my Christmas special. I've got a good one!Starting new traditions as a family:Right now, Sam and I are just s tiny family of two. Of course someday we plan on growing our family and sharing these traditions each year with them.The other day, we were talking about the importance of holiday traditions to us and how we wanted to start a few of our own.Some of these were included in my December to-do calendar.Here are a few that stand out:- Make mulled wine (this is a new tradition and since it's soooo tasty, we'll keep this one up)- Make a French toast casserole on Christmas morning (we stole this recipe/tradition from Sam's mom)- Drive to see Christmas lights with hot cocoa in hand (we love going to Christmas Tree Lane in Altadena, CA)- Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas (a classic that we love)- Go ice skating (this one's more for me because I figure-skated for 7 years when I was much younger)What do the holidays mean to you?Which traditions do you have and which new ones have you added into your life?I hope wherever you are, whatever you're doing, and whatever your Christmas looks like, it's extra bright.See you in a few days,Ari