Holiday Letter Writing
Tonight I’m writing holiday cards and a brief newsletter I’ll tuck into them. Some of what I’m writing seems redundant to re-share with friends who have been following my life this year on Facebook. But I’m sending newsletters to lots of older relatives who don’t use computers or refuse to use Facebook. Anyway, I’m looking forward to a quiet night at home drinking tea and writing cards!
QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- Need to do laundry? I have a load of kitchen towels to do, and I like to wash my sheets and bath towels on Sundays so they’re fresh for the workweek ahead.
- Clean one drawer, one shelf, or two door pockets in your fridge and in your freezer. This will keep your fridge and freezer cleaned out every single month!
- Need to add rock salt, kitty litter or driveway de-icer to your shopping list?
- Check your humidifier filter – does it need to be replaced? Need water in your humidifier? It hasn’t been too dry around here, luckily.
- Clean your dryer vent, if needed.
- Are you using up leftovers? Are there any you should give up on and toss out?
- Need to do any more holiday or Christmas related phone calls to relatives before the night gets too late?
- Make meal plans/menus for the week ahead and create your shopping list?
- What are you wearing on New Year’s Eve? Need to get anything dry cleaned? Pick out your jewelry and shoes ahead of time so you won’t be flustered an hour before your fun event?
TODAY’S PROJECT: Holiday Cards and Newsletter
It’s long past time to start writing our holiday cards! Perhaps you’ve been way more industrious than me and you already sent yours out weeks or days ago. This year I put this task off too long. December is almost over, and I’m determined to finish by New Year’s Eve. I might have to cut down on the number of my intended recipients. I don’t want to just sign my name on some cards – I want to put something personal in every one, sharing something and asking questions of the person. It’s quite time consuming, but for many of these people it’s the only letter they’ll get from me this year. (I hope to change that in the future! I miss being an active letter writer!)
I find that if I address and stamp my cards all at the same time, I have an easier time forcing myself to sit down and write a few. It really helps to put something silly or fun on the Tivo to listen to while I write: old reruns of How I Met Your Mother, for example, or a Netflix marathon (I’m currently working my way through Season 2 of The West Wing. Or of course you can put on a classic holiday movie in the background if you’re not “Christmased out” already.
If you take on this project tonight, make yourself hot cocoa or hot tea while you go about your writing. Perhaps afterwards, a nip of ruby port or a sip of sherry as the night grows colder and later?
10 Tips for Writing a Holiday Newsletter (Grammar/About.com)
LOVELY BLOGS: Recipe Reminiscing
Ted posts a vintage recipe once per week. Recently he’s posted about a spicy non-alcoholic drink from Norway; shared a recipe for a traditional Norwegian Christmas recipe called Troll Cream, and the recipe for a Danish pepper cookie coffee. I’m intrigued to see what he’s going to find and share next!
https://recipereminiscing.wordpress.com/
LOVELY MUSIC: Lady Georgianna
> These three ladies perform 18th century music at various festivals and events in the UK. They take their music from antique 18th century music publications, and their group name was inspired by the Duchess of Devonshire, Lady Georgiana Cavendish. They’ve performed, as you can imagine, at the Jane Austen festival in Bath. You can watch a video of them performing “Take Heed You Lovely Maid” and one of them performing live at the Whitby Goth festival.
LOVELY SHOPS: Brixiana
Here’s a charming Etsy shop selling darling vintage and antique collectibles. I’ve so been enjoying browsing their selection. Check out this vintage Steiff owl, these two vintage head vases, an antique Christmas girl figurine, and tons of vintage jewelry.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/brixiana
LOVELY TV: Downton Abbey Season 5
Season 5 premieres on Sunday, January 4! Who here is having a Downton Abbey viewing party? You can watch a special holiday preview here which has clips from the Christmas special we’ll see in a couple months.
LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:
Chocolate Cinnamon Babka Muffins (How Sweet It Is)
Christmas Pie from Leftovers (Our Life’s Blessings)
Deep Dish Pizza Muffins (Oh Bite It)
Eskimo Girl Cookies (Haniela’s)
Sour Cherry Chocolate Cake (Honest Cooking)
Vintage Cocktail Friday: Green Room – 1960 (The Mid-Century Menu)
–Copyright 2014 Lovely Living
