When G said she had written a post for last Friday I was so relieved because honestly, I didn’t think I had it in me to turn thoughts into words.  Last week was L O N G and that is saying something considering it’s still 2020. 

Regardless of which side of the political fence you fall, I know you are tired and weary.  I am tired and weary.  I am tired of the news, the fighting, the divisiveness, the talking about it and even thinking about it which is why I am not going to write about any of it.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about what was “saving me right now.” I feel like we all need a part two of that blog because we all need to be asking ourselves what we need right now. 

For sure, we could all use a collective deep breath, a tall glass of water, some fresh air, a meal not consumed in front of the TV and some J O Y. The post-election news cycle isn’t going anywhere, but we need to PREPARE for the next 8 weeks of holiday joy. Again, I don’t care which side of the holiday fence you fall, it’s time to get your CHEER on. When it comes to the holidays in 2020, there is no democracy, EVERYONE MUST PARTICIPATE AND FIND THEIR JOY! We have been waiting and waiting for a reason to put our twinkle lights up, to make a turkey, eat some sugar cookies and toast anything remotely exciting in those cute little Christmas cocktail glasses we ordered online during quarantine. The time has finally arrived and these next 8 weeks are not for the faint of heart. We need to pace ourselves and I am here to help you every step of the way.

I do not want to hear how busy you are or that your kids have all left the house, that you have a cat that takes the tree down or that you are traveling for the holidays (that is so 2019). There are no excuses to not find your joy. So, get outside and take a deep breath, walk around the block to get your blood pumping everyday and then start decorating.

Let’s start with the basics. Level One Joy includes your holiday music, a scented candle, maybe some cute holiday soap dispensers and possibly a blanket or a pillow. This is for the person who wants to find joy, but this is the extent to which they are willing to go. I get it. Not everyone needs to be SUROUNDED by sparkle at all times. This is a perfect amount of joy and a definite step in the right direction.

Level Two Joy involves at least one tree, a wreath, some twinkle lights and all of the above mentioned items. This is the most traditional level and I would venture to guess that most households celebrate with at least this much holiday decor each year. Now, if you recognize yourself in this level and you are thinking that maybe you could step it up just a little, throw in that holiday welcome mat and watch the neighbors flock to your front door with cookies.

Level Three Joy is about real holiday spirit and these folks not only decorate the inside of their home, but they get outside and string twinkle lights around the trees and around the windows. There is garland around their front door and you can smell cookies baking as you walk up the front porch. This house is winning honorable mention in the cul de sac for sure!

Level Four Joy is for the rockstar. This level goes all out and probably has new decorations that they bought on sale after Christmas LAST YEAR! These guys have to decorate over the course of at least a couple of days because they have so much holiday spirit. If you pass this house, you might find a life size Santa in their front yard, more than one tree in the windows and their lights might be synchronized to music. These people are crazy for Christmas and rest assured their electric bill hits an all time high in December.

Level Five is for the lunatic who LOVES Christmas. These people started putting Christmas sheets on their beds in October because it takes WEEKS to get their spirit on. These guys have so many trees that they put them in the bedrooms. Their everyday dishes are replaced by Christmas dishes, hot cocoa is the beverage of choice, garland and twinkle lights hang on every mantle, railing and doorway, Christmas music has been playing since the first snowflake fell and even the bathrooms have scented candles, Santa rugs and Christmas towels. This house is the envy of the North Pole and is truly something to aspire to.

Like I said in the beginning, JOY is not an option. It is your civic duty to get out there and find your joy and sprinkle it everywhere you go. So, for all of you naysayers and anti-holiday scrooges, the clock is ticking. This year has been long and hard and we all need some joy, so you’d better dig deep. It’s only 8 weeks! If you still can’t find it, message me and I will send you a package of holiday joy.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,
Lowi & G