quick tips for the holiday-wary… and weary.

As a recovering grinch, I thought I’d share some of the things that have made holidays all the more light for me in recent months. I use Valentine’s Day as an example because it can be one of the most polarizing… and it’s today?

4. Start early and finish late. As soon as I took down Christmas decorations last year, I started thinking about the month of love. Just getting into a holiday mindset does wonders for daily drudgery. Two of my planned adventures got canceled due to snow, so we’re rescheduling for next week. There are no rules, no starting or finish lines! Don’t get caught up in the commercialism discussions or the calendar dates. Just stick it to the winter blues with some extra cheer this month.

3. Get out of the house. These trips don’t have to be expensive or over the top, just deliberate. Our February adventures? I brought Ames grocery shopping with me, but not before we celebrated his first-ever diner breakfast. Avery and I signed up for a cooking class together, and I’m taking Lucas thrift-shopping per his request. I keep a ongoing list on my phone, of things my kids mention or ask questions about. It makes the gift-giving and the adventure-planning much easier during holidays.

2. Bring the season into your home. I might not be the craftiest person in the world, but I can throw some pink and red into the mix. I bought Valentine’s candy and set it out in our kitchen. I even replaced it after the three little pigs sneaked down to raid it in the middle of the night. I cut a few paper hearts and hung them from the ceiling in our den. The scraps went into a vase, which now sits on our dining room table as a super chic Valentine’s centerpiece. Celebrating can also be as simple as using the language more often. Guess what’s in a week? Guess what Valentine’s Day is about? One of my favorite things to do is search for holiday-themed content on Netflix.

1. Be clear with your expectations. My husband doesn’t care much for Valentine’s stuff, which has caused a bit of tension in the past. This year, though, I just spelled it out for him. No guessing, no games. I don’t need a wild date or an extravagant gift, but I would like you to show me thoughtfulness throughout the day. Hadassah and I did not sleep well last night, so I went out on a limb. Typically, I’d just complain about being tired all day. Instead, I asked my husband to take her out of our room and give me a half-hour to sleep before the sun came up and the rest of the house woke. The man took her out of our room alright, and right on out the door. He picked up some breakfast and some flowers. We both won.