Holidays š
It's a tricky balance
I know some people really, really hate the Holidays. It might be the memories they evoke (family stuff), or the financial burden (a lot), or the religious basis (Santa sorta ran over that). But, I love the Chriskwanukah time of year.
For one thing, I do love the color red. And green. And guess what readers, someone sometime figured out that those colors are complementary to each other and visual catnip to the non color blind. We humans love those colors together. Any trip to a museum will show you how frequently red and green show up next to each other since a human could paint. Varsity marketing effort, Christmas colors.
With that in mind, I look at the Holiday season as a big installation art project. Everything gets a tweak and with stores like HomeGoods in one swoop I can change out the dish towels, have a holiday cookie jar, trays, plates, glasses, napkins, runners, tables cloths, aprons, frames, soaps, sheets, towels, you name it! All for a pretty affordable price. Itās a little addictive! Cheap, temporary change!
During the Holidays I dress up differently (plaid?), I wear red lipstick, we have a silly tall tree covered in weird and wonderful ornaments from all over like a giant charm bracelet. I make things in the kitchen I donāt all year, spiced cider, sugar cookies, beef Wellington (ok, I ordered that), I constantly am foraging for the neatest gifts for loved ones (Instagram), so I am always thinking of them, I put together gift photo albums which also has me reflecting on my loved ones, the year and what we did. Even the dog has a special dress, ok, three special red dresses. She hates them. She wears them every Christmas. I need to get her a Hanukah dress.
Happy Holidays, dear readers. Hang in there. Remember to enjoy it, your family, the food, the colors. It goes by so fast.
Iām off to Homegoodsā¦Iām not kidding. I need more gold frames for the photos I ordered as giftsā¦.
MEET ME IN THE COMMENTSā¦
Love the Holidays? Loath? please share!
FYIā¦.
A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE EMPRESS EDITIONS AND Alisa Kennedy Jones AND Eleanor Anstruther!
We are overjoyed by yesterdayās announcement from Publishers Weekly about Eleanor Anstrutherās forthcoming novel being named an Editorās Pickā¦ I mean, wow!
So righteously deserved and birthed right here on Substack with a whole community of readers to cheer her on. Huzzah, Eleanor!
ANDā¦.
Morning! I was going to send out a post about my new āAboutā page today but that doesnāt seem very in the spirit, does it? So, Iāll stick the link here, in case you want to help me refine itā¦
https://www.womenssurvivalguide.com/about
MUCH LOVEā¦
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I love this refreshing take on Christmas instead of the ones complaining how it's a drag (many of which I probably wroteš¤£). I do not share your love of the holidays Kim yet your words warmed me up and reminded me to focus on the fun! Thanks. Happy holidays, I hope you're feeling better.
Kim, thank you for this gorgeous shoutoutāweāre so grateful to you, and to the whole Boston/Cambridge community, for being such a warm, generous place to begin our little midlife-women's press. Christmas is one of my great loves (lights, music, tartan, ordered-not-cooked feasts), and even in needing a gentler set of festivities this year... the gratitude is BIG. āØš